Little Moments: It Runs in the Family
by ReeseHolden
Summary: Fun, flirty, opinionated, and honest. All things describing Sawyer Scott. Navigating the waters of her twenties, Sawyer finds herself adrift on an open sea of possibility. Love, life, and family. It was hers to lose, and it was hers to gain.
1. Sneaky Feelings

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 1: Sneaky Feelings**

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing related to OTH. Sawyer Scott is _not_ my character. **

**A/N: Hi all. For those of you new to the "Little Moments" _franchise_ I welcome you aboard. This story will follow Sawyer Scott's life as she navigates the waters of her twenties and then some. If you have not read the original Little Moments or Little Moments: Like Mother, Like Daughter that is more than alright. All of the characters and things you need to know will be mentioned in this story. Reading the other ones will only give you a slight advantage. I would suggest that you read Like Mother, Like Daughter though. It will fill in the gaps that this story may have. This first chapter will include background info and it'll have time jumps between each section so the story can move quickly. Oh, and as a heads up, this chapter is T for language. Enjoy guys!**

**OTHOTH**

Margaritas. If anyone was ever having a bad day or just needed to relax, a margarita was the best cure. At least according to Sawyer Scott.

For the last five or so hours she'd been working as a volunteer in the stiffing summer heat and she was doing her best not to mow down the crowd of old geezers and tots to soothe her thirst. Gatorade wasn't going to cut it.

At twenty four, Sawyer was independent and opinionated. She liked old things. Vintage things. Her car was old. Her clothes were from decades passed. She liked old music versus the new crap they played theses days. She'd tell you to read a map instead of relying on some GPS, listen to vinyl versus an MP3, and if she had a problem with something about you or anything else for that matter, she'd let you know. Bitchy and snarky, but beautiful and fun. Sawyer hid behind a coated exterior of musical know-how and attitudes, but deep down she was an old soul, very much like her father.

Lucas had given her his famous squint and those blue eyes. Peyton had one upped him with her tangled mess of hair, her passion for all things music related, and an attitude that could rival a high school Brooke Davis. Sawyer was untidy, and loud. Her younger brother Keith always flinched when they were around each other. He knew she might smack him out of the _kindness_ of her heart. She was incredibly smart and much wiser than she led on. Most mornings she'd eat a pop-tart, get a glass of orange juice and flop down on the couch with some crossword puzzle she could finish in record time.

She was good with words but she wasn't a writer. She produced. Growing up around Red Bedroom Records, she always knew she'd want to help her mom with the company one day. She never wanted it handed to her though. So she'd left Tree Hill for Boston after high school, and gotten her undergraduate degree in music business from Berklee College of Music. She loved what she did. Music ran through her veins and she had a knack for it. Most of the time she got to make her own hours, and going into work at the ass crack of dawn was never a preferred choice. Eleven AM was more her style, and that was on a weekday. Weekends were reserved for those all day sleep-ins.

This summer Saturday was not one of those days.

That was the problem with having a roommate. Any normal June Saturday morning and Sawyer would still be asleep till the sun went down. Unfortunately, Sawyer's best friend, cousin, and roommate, Charlotte Scott, had some type of good will because she'd volunteered the girls to work at the annual Diligence Dash 5K held by the United States Coast Guard. And that was fine and dandy but it was early. Early, early. So early that Sawyer couldn't function. She didn't have anything against the Coasties, most of them were cute, but she was gonna have to put on some horribly designed t-shirt and pass out race packets in the burning morning sun. Not fun.

Thank goodness it was almost over.

Rumbles of applause echoed down the streets and an event coordinator gathered all of the volunteers and gave them new assignments. Pass out drinks at the finish line. Oh great. How rewarding. Sawyer rolled her eyes, but with a new duty at hand, Charlotte and Sawyer moved from the registration table and were now helping haul bright orange coolers towards the finish line. At least they were on wheels. That wasn't helping with Sawyer's less than pleasant attitude. She had behaved herself though, no more throwing drinks on strangers. But _that_ had been okay. It was justice. That Coastie asshole had the nerve to whistle at her and Charlotte when they were stopped at stop sign earlier that morning. Not cool. So Sawyer being Sawyer, she decided she'd had about enough of her orange juice to-go and proceeded to throw it towards the jerk. And she thought it hit him too.

Sawyer drug the cooler to it's designated spot and put her hands on her hips as she looked over to Charlotte. "Looks like we're done." Sawyer pulled her keys from her pocket and smiled, "I'm thinking Mexican?"

"Sawyer, we have to hand out drinks to the runners."

"Why? Is it really that hard to open a cooler and stick your hand in some ice to pull out a little bottle that will _quench your thirst_?"

Charlotte smirked as she watched Sawyer demonstrate, but she felt the need to stick up for the hundreds of strangers who were bound to cross the finish line at any moment. "They're probably really tired. They just ran like three miles."

Sawyer did what she does best and rolled her blue eyes as she let out a groan of defeat. "Ugh, fine. But when we're done with all of this crap, it's you and me, a couple tacos, some cheese dip, and a few margaritas."

"Sawyer, it's ten in the morning. Margaritas?"

"Well, by the time we're done here it will be past noon." Sawyer smiled and shrugged, "Okay, maybe not, but we can get sopapillas! Come on Char, live a little."

"Alright, alright. " Charlotte nodded then turned towards the finish line.

The announcer had come over the loud speaker and was calling the end of the race much like that of the Kentucky Derby. Why someone would equate these runners to horses Sawyer didn't understand, but it was fairly entertaining.

Sawyer begrudgingly handed sweaty people drinks as they crossed the finish line and sarcastically tried to sound enthusiastic when they walked by. "Glad you made it back.", "Thirty second place. Awesome.", "Need a drink? Me too." They were all prime examples of Sawyer's perky attitude. Again, it was early. She didn't do early.

Something else she didn't do, or rather someone she didn't know, was the guy Charlotte was talking to. He was cute. Real cute. Brown hair, eyes that were sorta-kinda-couldn't tell green, tall, tanned skin, and his USCG printed shirt caught Sawyer's attention.

She tried not to stare. No, that was a lie. Sawyer stared at the guy and her cousin trying to listen in on their conversation. Charlotte's big doe eyes were all love struck and the older Scott couldn't deny the fact that this guy was on the chilli pepper side of hot.

Sawyer saw the two twenty-somethings part ways and she quickly walked over to Charlotte and nudged her in the side, "What the hell was that?"

Charlotte turned to see Sawyer grinning ear to ear with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She didn't have an answer, "Huh?"

"Since when do you stutter," Sawyer arched a brow. "And did I hear that correctly, you're gonna go out with him, tonight?"

"Yeah, no." Charlotte shook her head. "I don't stutter! But yes, I'm going to dinner with him."

Sawyer placed her hands on Charlotte's shoulders and smiled. "Where's my cousin and what have you done with her?" She gave the small brunette a couple violent shakes. "The Charlotte Scott _I _know wouldn't jump into something like this."

"It's just dinner."

Sawyer rolled her eyes. "Just dinner, puh-lease."

In between a laugh and a comeback, Charlotte sighed, "He seems really nice."

"They _all_ seem really nice." Sawyer had just gotten out of an unfortunate relationship and was on the man-hating team for now.

"Just because your last boyfriend was a douche doesn't mean Graham will be. I know I just met him, I know that I don't know him. I know that..." Charlotte understood that Sawyer was just looking out for her. "But I'll never find out if I don't get to know him."

Sawyer took a deep breath, "Yeah."

Charlotte walked over to Sawyer and wrapped an arm around her waist, "So you know this means that tonight you're helping me get ready."

Smiling, Sawyer nodded, "Yeah, but don't think this gets you out of us going to Mexican."

Charlotte laughed and shook her head, "I don't think I could deprive you of that."

Together the girls laughed, and as the race was winding down they were told that they were free to go. Sawyer looked to Charlotte wide eyed and nearly sprinted off to her car. She hadn't run in the stupid race but she sure looked like she was running as she made it to her car.

"Come on!" Sawyer looked to Charlotte and waved her hands in a aggravated manner. "I wanna miss all the traffic."

Charlotte picked up her pace and the two girls got into Sawyer's sea blue 1963 convertible Karmann Ghia. The car sped out of the parking lot behind Clothes over Bro's and Sawyer shifted gears and gunned it toward K38. They had the best tacos around.

"Blinker! Assface!" Sawyer glared at a car who had failed to use their signals properly and whizzed by while flipping a bird.

"You know, one of these days someone's not gonna like that."

"Eh...Whatever." Sawyer shook her head and laughed at Charlotte. "I dare you to do it."

"What?"

Sawyer promptly stuck her middle finger toward her cousin and nodded, "Come on, Haley Saint James's little girl."

Charlotte cut her eyes toward Sawyer. "Saint James?"

"Just sayin'."

The almost twenty three year old stuck her left hand toward Sawyer and gladly proved her cousin wrong.

Bursting into a fit of laughter, Sawyer turned up Elvis Costello as she drove toward the beach and loudly sung along to her favorite musician until they pulled into the parking lot. The girls got out of the car and found their way to their spot. Sawyer was in K38 so much they'd all but reserved a table for her. They were given chips and salsa to munch on and Sawyer cut right to the chase, "So you gotta tell me more about that Coastie, Charlotte."

Charlotte felt herself blush and she scooped up a large amount of salsa, "I don't know. He's just a guy."

"And..." Sawyer used her hand to wind out the rest of it.

"And he asked me out. He's cute, he's got a really sweet smile, his name's Graham, and that's about all I know."

"Like as in graham cracker?" Sawyer furrowed her brow and got herself a nice helping of Mexican deliciousness.

Nodding, Charlotte shrugged, "I guess so. I didn't exactly quiz him on the origin of his name." She may have been in the education field but that was the last thing she'd been thinking about. "He seems really nice."

"Well just a word of warning. Most of them seem like that."

Charlotte nodded, "You told me this..."

"Wait, hold on." Sawyer cleared her throat and wanted to get her point across, "The really cute ones, the guys that look like Graham are normally big jerks. I learned the hard way. Dillon was everything I hoped for till he let someone else play his _guitar_."

"He was a jerk to begin with." Charlotte shrugged, "He wasn't worth your time. College sweethearts or not, his band going on the road and him sleeping around was probably the best thing that could have happened."

Sawyer started to feel a tiny bit of rage pool in her belly because Charlotte may have been right. Dillon had been such a nice guy when they'd met up in Boston. They were both young and had a passion for all things music. It had made sense that their mutual respect for the art had turned into a three year relationship. The only bad thing was when his open mic nights turned into paying gigs, then things started to change. He didn't want to write great songs and jam in someone's apartment. Five months ago he saw an opportunity to be somebody and left the one person who kept him grounded and humbled in his dust. Dillon never looked back.

Sawyer shrugged, "Whatever. I'm over that loser." She smiled at the waiter who'd set down their drinks and she raised her glass, "So to Dillon, hopefully he'll trip down stairs and break his penis."

"Sawyer!"

The blonde laughed, "But really...to us. Girls _rule_, boys _drool_."

Charlotte clinked her glass with Sawyer and laughed when she took a sip of her drink. She was hoping that this Graham fellow wouldn't be one of those droolers and for the sake of her scorned best friend, Charlotte hoped Sawyer might find someone too. Nothing serious but someone to get her out of her pessimistic funk.

That day was on its way.

**OTHOTH**

It had been a week since the Diligence Dash. One week since Sawyer had painfully sat through the summer heat but things were looking up. Thanks in part to Charlotte, the girls were going to the beach for the day. The brunette and her new squeeze thought it would be fun to get together with friends and Sawyer would have invited herself if Charlotte hadn't. The convertible driving Scott girl was not one to leave the ocean hanging.

Sawyer was wasting time before they left and was watching television in the living room when she heard Charlotte yell her name.

"Sawyer. Come here!"

The lanky blonde walked into the younger Scott's room and arched her brow, "Whatcha need?"

"Help. I need help." Charlotte looked at the three bathing suits she had picked out and shrugged, "Which one?"

Walking toward her cousin, Sawyer immediately shook her head when she saw the brown tankini. "Ew no. Charlotte, tankinis are for moms or fat people. You are neither."

Noticing how rude Sawyer comment was, Charlotte's mouth fell open, "Sawyer! That's not nice."

"It's the truth." Sawyer wasn't really concerned with what came out of her mouth. She looked at the other two bathing suits. One was on the cutsey side, green with white polka dots and the other was a simple navy. "What's Graham's favorite color?"

Charlotte tried to think if she'd asked him that. "I don't know. Probably blue or green." She laughed because her two options were those colors.

Sawyer narrowed her eyes and put one hand on her hip. "I think the green one is kinda young looking. Too junior high."

"Okay, so the navy?" Charlotte rolled her eyes at Sawyer, she just always had the nicest way of saying things.

Nodding at the bathing suit, Sawyer's face lit up. "And that's his color right? I mean like the Coast Guard's?"

Charlotte laughed out loud. "That would be The Navy you idiot. The Coast Guard's colors are white, orange, and blue." If she was really being precise. The Navy's colors were blue and gold, but she could leave that part out.

"Oh." Sawyer hated to be wrong. "Whatever. I'm gonna change and then you'll be ready, right?"

"Yeah."

Sawyer walked to her room and quickly threw on the first bathing suit she saw, the first old t-shirt, and her holy jean shorts. Flipping her lights, Sawyer tucked her sunglasses on her head, "Charlotte come on! Let's go." Sawyer's voice rang through their small house and Charlotte picked up her oversized bag.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

Charlotte walked out of her bedroom and saw that Sawyer had on an oversized t-shirt as her cover-up paired with those ratty jean shorts of hers. Sawyer saw that look on Charlotte's face and shook her head, "What?"

"Nothing."

Sawyer wasn't done pressing, "Yes-huh. What?"

Shrugging, Charlotte laughed, "It's just...don't you want to look a little cuter?"

Her mouth hung open and Sawyer huffed, "Ugh, what? This isn't cute?"

"It's alright, but there will be lots of Coasties and who knows, maybe you'll snag yourself one? An old U2 shirt isn't exactly..."

"Fine, whatever." Sawyer dropped her bag and stomped to her room only to return a minute later with an olive green tank top to go with her jean shorts. "I'm not changing again so I don't want to hear it if you don't like it."

Charlotte laughed, "You look great." Sawyer did. She had the body of a supermodel. She was un-fairly skinny and tall, and could pull off almost any look. Sawyer was lacking in the boob department though, but it wasn't her fault, she blamed her mom all the time.

Picking up her bag, Sawyer threw it over her shoulder and dug around for her keys. "We're taking my car."

Rolling her eyes, Charlotte knew better than to argue.

Assuming that Charlotte was gonna say something, Sawyer went ahead and made her case. "It's a convertible. It's cute. It's fun. It's flirty. All things needed to go to the beach. Don't say no."

Laughing, Charlotte put her hands up. "I didn't say anything."

The brunette followed the blonde out to Sawyer's sea blue Karmann Ghia and hopped in the passenger seat. Sawyer cranked the engine and had to make sure the appropriate music was blaring through the speakers before she pulled off the curb. "Where are we headed? Which beach access?"

"He said to park by the Johnny Mercer and then to walk to the left and to look for the volleyball net."

Sawyer nodded and popped the clutch into the correct gear. She weaved in and out of lanes and it took them no time to get to the beach.

"So his friends are cute, right?"

Charlotte shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't met them. He's the one who's always coming over to pick me up and take me out."

"Right...well..." Sawyer sighed, "There's gotta be at least one who will be eye candy."

Laughing, Charlotte smiled, "Probably so."

The girls made their way to the beach access and they were pretty sure they were going in the right direction. There were four of them. Four guys. Sawyer could narrow it down that Graham was the one in the red bathing suit but the other three: Green, Black, and Blue-Green stripes were fair game. No names were needed. She could go by bathing suit colors. Her eyes first went to Blue-Green stripes, "Whoa, ab alert." Sawyer's eyes went wide under her sunglasses as she got a look at the guy's stomach. They were all in good shape, it was gonna be hard to pick. "Holy Hell. These guys..."

Sawyer watched as Graham started walking toward them and they stopped. Charlotte felt her cheeks roasting in the sun and she bit her lip when he approached, "Hi."

"Hey." He looked at Sawyer and smiled, "Hey, Sawyer."

Sawyer lifted her sunglasses, "Hey, Graham."

Graham saw his best friend slowly walking up behind him. He turned to Charlotte and used his thumb to point at the guy walking toward them. "That's Ben."

So Mr. Black Bathing suit had a name. Ben. Sawyer couldn't help but let her eyes roam over his frame. He was nice to look at. Tall. Really tall. Three, maybe even four inches taller than Graham. He had a really cute grin and sandy blonde hair. Not exactly the look Sawyer often went for. She was into dark hair, a little bit of facial hair, and people who weren't as buff. She liked muscle but not Mr. Brawny himself. This Ben fella was getting checked off her list. Who was next?

Sawyer looked to the other too and sized them up while Ben talked with Charlotte. "So you're the girl who's keeping my buddy from our poker nights?"

"I...am I?" Charlotte winced. She didn't want to be _that_ girl. The one who takes up all the guy's free time.

Graham realized that Charlotte was worried. "No, he's kidding. We don't even do poker night." Sawyer laughed out loud and Charlotte took an easy breath as she realized Ben was just kidding.

Ben looked at Sawyer and extended his hand. "It's O.J., right?"

Sawyer shook her head and put her hand in his, "Sawyer."

Nodding, Ben laughed, "Yeah, O.J."

Was this guy Graham's _funny_ friend? "What, no. It's Saw-yer." She was careful to draw out the two syllables so he would understand. Who the hell was O.J?

Charlotte was confused by what was going on and Graham was laughing. The brown eyed girl looked up to her green eyed Coastie and shook her head, "O.J.?"

Graham nodded, "Apparently, the two have met before."

Ben dropped Sawyer's hand and shook his head, "No, we haven't met, but we've been acquainted."

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer crossed her arms, "I'm sorry you have me confused with someone else." Sawyer didn't understand why this guy was calling her O.J or why he'd said that they'd been acquainted.

"I don't think I do." Ben laughed and shook his head. "Uh, you, and I'm guessing Charlotte, drove by a group of guys before the Diligence Dash last weekend?" He waited for the light to click on in her head and he finished, "And you decided to throw your orange juice at them, at us ."

Charlotte's eyes widened. "Oh my God, that was you? She hit you?"

Sawyer was just standing there not knowing what to say. It couldn't have been. No way. She looked up to Graham's Coast Guard friend and saw it in his blue eyes that she had in fact hit him.

Ben patted his stomach and nodded, "Right here." Ben looked behind him to Trevor, "That guy was the ass who whistled, not me."

Mr. Blue-Green striped bathing suit? Him? Sawyer looked over to the guy she thought she'd been most attracted to and narrowed her eyes. Screw him and his good looks.

Charlotte looked to Sawyer to see if she had a response. She didn't so Charlotte made one up. "Um, she has bad aim."

Raising her eyebrow, Sawyer shook her head, "Actually, I have really _good_ aim. But I wasn't aiming at anyone _in particular_ then. You just happened to be on the receiving end of my drink." Knowing that she'd splattered this guy with her orange juice kinda made Sawyer feel bad. He seemed like a nice guy. It was probably the last thing he deserved.

Ben laughed sarcastically, "Well thanks a lot."

Sawyer nodded but kept up her attitude, "Sure, no problem."

Charlotte wasn't exactly seeing their meet and greet as going well, so she bumped into Sawyer's side and gave her a warning look. She turned to Graham and looked past him to the volleyball net. "It looked like you two were about to play?"

Graham looked at her and shook his head, "I told them we could finish it later..."

"No, go ahead. We don't mind." It was something of an old habit for both Charlotte and Sawyer watching sporting events from the sideline. They had both cheered in high school.

Charlotte all but pulled Sawyer over to the side of the court and got themselves a nice spot.

Sawyer turned her upper lip up at Charlotte, "Ow, what was that for?"

"Be nice." Charlotte's big brown eyes were now like saucers. "Please."

"I am." Sawyer furrowed her brow.

"No, you're being...you're in bitchy sarcastic mode, and if you don't play nice I'll take you home." At this point Charlotte was laughing. "Just...I like his guy...and it would be great if you got along with his friends."

"Okay, Mom." It had been a long running joke that Sawyer called Charlotte 'Mom' every once in a while. Charlotte was the mature one, the organized one, the one who could cook.

Sawyer walked back over to her bag, discarded her clothes, put on sunscreen and looked to her cousin. Charlotte was in some kind of trance watching that boy play ball. "Hey? Earth to Charlotte?" Sawyer looked down and snapped at her cousin. She waved the sunscreen in front of Charlotte's face. "Get my back please."

The younger brunette had been so preoccupied by watching the game she hadn't even realized that Sawyer had gotten up, taken off her shorts and tank, and covered the majority of her body with sunscreen. Charlotte stood up and put a heavy coat of white lotion on Sawyer's back.

"Want me to get you?" Sawyer turned around and raised her brow. "He's not looking, you dork." Sawyer laughed and started to reach for the hem of Charlotte's dress.

Scooting away from Sawyer, Charlotte huffed, "Okay." She looked once more toward the boys and sighed. Pulling the dress over her head she knew she was gonna have to get over herself. She was acting childish.

Ben was about to serve but realized that Trevor and Drew weren't paying attention. He looked where they were looking and saw Sawyer putting sunscreen on Charlotte.

Graham was in ready position facing the net and hollered behind him, "Serve it up." Nothing happened and he looked backwards. Graham saw that Ben was staring and so where the other guys, and they were staring at Charlotte. Walking toward Ben he picked up the ball and whacked him upside the head. "Hey."

Ben raised his hand to his head and winced. "I...I wasn't..."

"Let's just play." Graham took the ball and tossed it up with a grunt.

Still holding his head, Ben laughed. Sure, yeah, he'd been looking but not at Charlotte. Something about that other girl was pulling him in.

While the boys started to play, Sawyer sat down and waited for Charlotte to sit next to her. Laughing, Sawyer leaned into Charlotte, "He's looking at you."

That really did it. Charlotte's cheeks turned more red that she new possible and she put her face in her hands, "Stop it."

Sawyer laughed, "I didn't do anything. That was between you and him. I saw the way he was looking."

"Sawyer!" Charlotte didn't want to get any more embarrassed than she was. Sawyer was just making it worse. And it wasn't between she and him, Charlotte hadn't even locked eyes with Graham yet.

"I'm just saying." Shrugging, Sawyer let out a laugh. She laid down on her towel and put her arms by her side. There was nothing better than soaking up the sun. She'd heard the boys mumble-yell has they played their game but Sawyer was concentrating on herself. Headphones, the ocean breeze; it was all she needed.

All she needed until lunch, anyway.

Sawyer heard Charlotte start to move around and realized that she was putting her cover-up back on. Apparently Charlotte and Graham were going to get lunch for everyone. She quickly got up and shook her head, "Don't leave me alone with them." She looked at Drew, Trevor, and Ben.

Laughing, Charlotte shrugged, "Saw, you'll be fine. We're just gonna be gone for a little while."

Sawyer looked over to the guys and sighed, "Fine, but be sure and get..."

"Extra mustard, I know. Got it." Charlotte nudged Sawyer with her elbow, "They are all nice guys...minus Trevor, but Ben's nice. He'll keep you company."

Sawyer looked at the guys and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Don't forget my mustard."

Laughing, Charlotte smiled, "I won't."

Watching the two walk toward the water Sawyer suddenly realized that she was going to have to make awkward small talk with the boys. Maybe they'd just leave her alone?

"Hey?"

Or not. Sawyer turned around and saw Black bathing suit guy walking toward her.

"Wanna help me out? It's two on one and I could use an extra man." Ben had the ball in his hand and looked to the volleyball net.

Sawyer always did like a little competition, "You want..._me _to play to with you?"

He nodded, "Well if it won't _ruin_ your day, yeah." Ben was matching her attitude.

"Alright." Sawyer got up and walked over to him and took the ball. "Fine."

The two of them made their way to the court and started to play. The girl wasn't the best athlete but she wasn't just standing around either. Sawyer didn't want to make a fool of herself so she'd try her best to set it well and dig it when the ball came her way.

"You're not so bad, you know." Ben threw the ball up in the air and served it over the net. "A lot better than I expected."

Sawyer smiled while her back was to him, "I know."

He walked up toward the net and lightly but his hand on the left side of her back, "Cover the right side."

Nodding, she shuffled in the sand and watched as Ben received the ball and hit it back over the net. She hadn't expected to feel so nervous when he'd touched her but she did. His hand on her skin left an impression. An impression Sawyer was trying to figure out. She didn't go for those types of guys. All big and muscly. Okay, so maybe Ben wasn't _that_ buff, she'd been exaggerating when comparing him to _the_ Mr. Brawny but still, he wasn't what she went for. Maybe it was his his boyish good looks and how he didn't take her shit. Sawyer didn't know, but there was something about this guy that was different.

"Sawyer, that's you." Ben called over his shoulder and watched as the ball went her way.

Not paying any attention, Sawyer let the ball fall on the court and both Trevor and Drew celebrated their point.

Ben walked her way and picked up the ball, "Gotta get those, O.J."

She didn't say anything but watched him as he threw the ball to the other side. Maybe Sawyer was curious about this Ben guy because he wasn't flirting with her. Normally everyone flirted with her.

The game continued until Trevor and Drew won. They all took a break, laughing and talking about the beating Sawyer and Ben took.

"Hey. I was playing with a girl. Give me a break."

Sawyer turned to him and furrowed her brow, "What are you twelve? Who says that?" She laughed and shook her head, "Thanks a lot."

"I didn't mean it like that. You were...fine. You played fine."

Oil and water. Sawyer could already tell that they were complete opposites. Fire and ice, however you wanted to call it, Ben couldn't have been any further from Sawyer.

"Food! Tell me you got extra mustard?" Sawyer saw Charlotte and Graham walking to the group.

Graham nodded and smiled, "She got plenty." He passed out everyone's food while Ben dug into the cooler and handed everyone a beer.

Sawyer was extra appreciative of the beer and raised her bottle. Lunch went nicely. They all chit-chatted and most of the guys had lots of questions for Charlotte. They thought it was pretty kick ass that her dad was Nathan Scott. _The_ Nathan Scott that played for the Bobcats. None of them had asked about Lucas, but then again, none of the guys read things like _The Comet_. At least Sawyer hoped not.

When she ate the last bite of her hotdog Sawyer put her hands on her bloated stomach, "I ate too fast."

Ben laughed at the girls and got up, "I'm guessing you two won't be joining us?"

Charlotte lifted up and and furrowed her brow. Trevor and Drew had already taken off towards the water. "Shouldn't you wait ten minutes or something?"

"That's an old wives tale, Charlotte." Graham put his trash away and held his hand out for her. "The water's warm."

Shaking her head, Charlotte declined his offer, "Maybe later."

Ben got up and started running to the water and they all watched him dive into the breaking waves. He had good form. Sawyer could give him that. Graham had headed toward the water and Sawyer saw Charlotte lay back on her towel and shook her head. "You don't have to worry about them. They are in the Coast Guard for crying out loud."

Sawyer just laughed as she let the burning afternoon sun tan her skin. Five o'clock rolled around and everyone was starting to head out. Drew and Trevor left first and Sawyer was about ready to get home and rinse the sand out of her bathing suit. She looked to the water and saw that Charlotte and Graham were sitting close to the ocean. There was no way she could deny the fact that they made a ridiculously good looking couple. But it was about that time and Sawyer was ready to head home. She made her way over to the duo and used her foot to tap on Charlotte's side. "Hate to break up the romance, but you think we can head home soon?" She was Charlotte's ride afterall.

Charlotte looked at Graham and before she could say yes to Sawyer, Ben walked up to them. "I'll ride back with Sawyer if you two want to stay." He nodded down at Graham and Charlotte and then looked to Sawyer, "If that's okay with you."

A part of Sawyer wanted to say no, 'Hell no, strangers don't ride in my car!', but there was something about Ben she was kind of, sort of, not gonna tell anyone...interested in. "Sure that's fine."

Never in a million years would Charlotte have thought that Sawyer would have agreed to that. Not just anybody got to ride in her car. Maybe she felt bad for hitting him with the orange juice last week? Maybe it was a guilt ridden answer? She turned to her friend and mouthed 'thank you.'

Sawyer wasn't going to be subtle and mouth a 'you're welcome' back. "Sure, now you and Graham can sit and make out like lovesick teenagers." Charlotte turned beet red and smacked Sawyer's leg but the older girl just laughed and she and Ben started to walk away. Gathering up her things, Sawyer watched as the blue eyed Coastie threw on his shirt. "Make sure you dust all the sand off. I really don't want it in my car."

Ben laughed at her tone and saluted toward her, "Yes, ma'am."

She rolled her eyes and they walked side by side to the car. "So where am I taking you anyway?"

"The apartments close to Food Lion. You know where that is?"

Sawyer laughed, "I've lived here all my life. I know where everything is."

Ben spotted an old sixties convertible and turned to Sawyer, "So what's the deal with the car? You don't see a girl driving something so bad ass very often."

Liking the fact that he complimented her car, Sawyer shrugged, "They don't make 'em like they used to."

Ben nodded and walked to the passenger seat. "I don't know if I'm gonna fit."

"Yeah you will, just pull your knees up to your chest." She opened up her door and sat down. "Shit!" Sawyer awkwardly thrusted upwards, "The seats are really hot."

He hadn't sat down but Ben was able to put two and two together. Summer sun plus black leather. Not good. "Yeah, I thought so." He gingerly got into his seat and felt the heat on his back and butt. "Kinda like seat warmers."

Sawyer laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, well I want to be able to switch these off."

"You could have put the top up." He looked at her with a smirk and a raised brow.

Cutting her eyes at him, Sawyer started the car. This guy got on her nerves. But he got on her nerves to the point where she kinda wanted to smack him and then kiss him. It was a little too soon to tell though. Sawyer pulled out of the parking space and off toward the apartment complex.

Ben couldn't help but notice how Sawyer pressed the clutch and shifted gears. A girl who could drive a stick was sexy. Even if she was bitchy, it was sexy.

"Did you learn to drive with a stick?"

Sawyer couldn't hear him cause the music was up so loud. "Huh?"

Placing his hands around his mouth, Ben spoke louder, "I said... Did you learn to drive with a stick. You seem like a pro."

"Yeah." Sawyer down shifted and nodded, "My dad has an old mustang he used when he taught me."

"An old Shelby?"

So he knew his cars. Sawyer smiled, "It's crimson with a black vent. Fastback and a two eighty nine."

Ben was certainly impressed with her car knowledge now. Maybe she moonlit as a mechanic? He turned to Sawyer and raised his brow, "I bet that was fun." Ben laughed and shook his head. "I had to learn with my dad's truck. It was fine until it would randomly loose its power steering." Sawyer started to laugh. Ben nodded, "I'd have to turn that thing with all my body weight." He reenacted the motion with a grimace.

This guy was like a big kid. Really. Sawyer glanced over to him and laughed. She laughed at him for being a goofball but she laughed at herself because she was liking this oversized man-child.

Pointing up ahead, Ben told Sawyer she'd need to turn soon. "It's up here."

"I know." Sawyer changed lanes and got ready to turn.

It got quiet for a second and then Ben pointed to his building. "It's this one." Sawyer nodded and pulled along the curb. "Thanks for the ride."

"Yeah." She laughed, "And sorry if the leather burnt your ass."

Ben started to smile and nodded. "First it's orange juice to the chest and now a burnt ass. I guess I better stay away from you?"

He was starting to flirt now. Sawyer smirked, "Well good luck with that. If Charlotte and Graham keep it up I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of each other."

"I'll just have to be careful around you then." Ben opened up the door and got out of Sawyer's car. "Hey?" He looked to her as he walked away. "Put that top up next time. Maybe you won't..."

Sawyer rolled her eyes and punched the gas. She watched him walk away in her rear view mirror and when she saw her own reflection she was a little surprised by her red cheeks. Sawyer wasn't a blusher. At all. This Ben guy was something new.

**OTHOTH**

June had turned to July and three weeks has passed faster than ice cream could melt on a hot summer day. Sawyer was at work and going over a few things before closing time. Walking past the pool table, Sawyer made her way to the studio and stuck her head in, "Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah?" Peyton turned down the track she was listening to and spun her chair around to face her daughter.

"You know that band we like who sent us those EPs?" Sawyer held out a manila envelope and gave it shake, "I drew up their contracts."

Peyton got up from the chair and reached for the envelope to look over the contract. "Were you able to reach their..."

"Uh-huh. I talked to him a little while ago. They should be coming to town to do final negotiations next week."

Impressed by Sawyer's promptness and responsibility, Peyton smirked, "Well, I guess that's done then." Laughing, Peyton walked out of the studio to her desk and picked up her bag. "I'm gonna head home. Go see if I can get your father away from his computer for a while. If you don't have plans, or if Charlotte's not cooking, you can come over for dinner."

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer grimaced, "Are _you _cooking?"

Peyton put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, "Just because you said that I think I might."

Sawyer laughed but shook her head, "I was planning on hanging around here for a while. Those new CDs came in and I figured I'd sample a few."

Nodding, Peyton smiled, "Alright, well don't stay too long. Be sure to lock up when you go."

"I will." Sawyer walked to her desk as her mom walked away, "Tell Dad I say hey." Peyton threw her hand up in the hair acknowledging Sawyer's request and left the twenty four year old by herself. The younger Scott sat down at and looked at the pile of music that laid untouched and unopened. She was about to sort the good from the bad.

She inserted the first disk in the stereo and cranked up the volume. The leaf inside the case was short and consisted of song titles written in chicken scratch. Birds in Flight. That was the first band. "Alright, let's see what you got." Sawyer hit play and music started to ring through her ears. "Nice tempo. Good beat." Nodding as the song played, that happy demeanor quickly turned sour when she heard the lead singer's voice, "Oh God" Sawyer grimaced, sure that her wrinkles would set into her skin and she quickly ejected the CD. So much for Birds in Flight. At least their name went with the music. It had sounded like squawking geese as they blindly ran into the side of a building. Not good.

If she was gonna survive the rest of the pile, Sawyer needed some company. A bottle of red sounded pretty good about now.

Getting up, Sawyer walked out to the bar and went directly for the wine. Most people had to wait for the bartender to get a drink but considering her grandmother owned the place she could do just about whatever she pleased.

"Hey Neal, I'm getting some company."

The Tric employee laughed and nodded, "Alright."

Sawyer bent down to pick her poison. They kept all the good stuff out of view on her request. Her secret little stash was purely for overtime working hours.

A group of four or five guys walked into the place and one of them leaned against the bar to get drink orders. Sawyer stood up and she rolled her eyes. "You again?"

Ben looked straight at her and laughed. Ever since their beach meet-and-greet they'd run into each other on several occasions. The bread aisle at the grocery store, Port City Java, and the DMV. Random occasions that included polite smiles but very little small talk. The Coastie smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "Better get used to it." He laughed and shook his head, "What's this? Like the forth time we've seen each other."

Sawyer narrowed her eyes, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"No." Ben shook his head. "I just think it's funny." Smiling, he looked behind Sawyer to the array of drinks and pointed. "How about four beers?"

Looking behind her and then back to Ben Sawyer laughed, "Are you kidding? I'm not the bartender."

"What?" She was behind the bar holding a bottle of wine. Most of the time that would lead people to assume the obvious. "I just..."

"Yeah, I work here but not...here" Sawyer pointed down and shook her head. "I work at the studio." That finger pointing down shifted toward the back of the bar and to the Red Bedroom Records sign.

Ben felt like an idiot for assuming but it was what any normal person would have thought. "I uh...sorry."

Sawyer couldn't blame him for figuring she was the bartender but she walked back in front of the bar and toward the studio, "See ya around."

Ben watched her walk away and he wanted to say something, keep their conversation going, but he was too shy to really act on it. There was something about that girl that had him intimidated yet confident at the same time.

He waited around for the bartender to get his beers and when he started to walk away Sawyer came back into the picture.

"Neal. Toss me a glass."

Ben couldn't help but watch as the bartender threw a wine glass her way. As he walked by her with his beers in hand he laughed, "You sure you don't tend bar?"

She nodded, "Pretty sure." A smirk crept up Sawyer cheeks and she flipped her wine glass in her hand.

Quickly walking over to his buddies, Ben put down the beers and hurried back to follow Sawyer, "O.J.?"

Hearing that name, made Sawyer smile. "Yes?" She turned and arched her brow.

Looking around the room, Ben turned back to her, "So what's the deal? You can't _just_ work here and get the bartender to _throw_ you a wine glass."

"Come here. I'll show you." Sawyer kicked her head toward the studio and they walked into the smaller, quieter room. She put the wine bottle on her desk and picked up a picture. "See these women?" He nodded so Sawyer pointed to the oldest brunnet who had streaks of gray, "That's my grandmother. She owns this place. The one right here." Sawyer pointed to Haley, "That's my aunt Haley, Charlotte's mom, who works here as a producer and..." Turning to the wall she walked over to the gold record, "This is hers. She's kind of a good singer."

Sawyer pointed to the other woman in the photo and the resemblance alone let Ben know who that was. "And that's your mom, huh?"

"Yep. She started Red Bedroom when she was in her twenties."

Ben looked around the room and saw the old album covers on the brick wall, a guitar and amp just over to the side, shelves full of music, and a pool table that was cooler than any he'd ever seen. "Family business?"

Nodding, Sawyer put the picture back on her desk, "I've been here since I came back from Boston."

"Ugh, Boston? Didn't you get sick of the cold weather and the rain?"

"I loved it up there."

Ben could tell there was more, "But..."

Sawyer shrugged, "Nothing. I had a great time. Learned everything I needed to know about the music business I hadn't already picked up from my mom, did a lot of great networking, and now I'm here." She wasn't exactly going to give him details about assface Dillon. He was old news.

"Seems like a cool job."

Looking toward the stack of CDs, Sawyer walked over to them, "Yeah. I'm going through these to see who's worth our time and money."

"I've got excellent taste in music." Ben nodded and put his beer down on Sawyer's desk and started looking through the CDs. "Bodily Harm. Esther Platt and the Jalopies." Ben laughed, "Awesome band names." He shook his head and held out a CD, "Here, put this one in. Let's see how they are."

Sawyer took the music from Ben and put it in the player. "Chatam County Road. Maybe they'll be good?"

The music started to play and Ben instantly started tapping his foot. "Yeah. I like this."

"You can't judge too fast, Ben."

"Well I'm just saying." The lead singer began the first verse, "Yeah." Ben nodded along to the beat, "Listen to that grovel in this throat. He's got soul."

Sawyer shook her head, "Sounds like he's got a cold."

"No way. Sounds like good ole' Memphis blues."

She knew Chatam County Road was not Red Bedroom material. "Hand me another."

Ben rolled his eyes at the missed opportunity and gave Sawyer another CD. "This one's a winner."

"Wanna bet?" Sawyer looked down at the CD and knew by the name this artist was going to suck.

Taking a swig of his beer, Ben nodded, "Yeah sure. I'll bet."

Sawyer watched him take a few steps toward her. He took the CD back from her and nodded, "If this one has any hint of talent you're going on a date with me."

"What?"

"Yeah." Ben nodded, "If these people, band...whatever. If they're good, I'm taking you out. I'll show you a good time and _maybe _buy you dinner."

Sawyer laughed, "Maybe?"

He smiled, "Maybe."

"And if they suck...I get..."

"To rub it in my face at the bread aisle in the grocery store, when I pick up my coffee before work... Bragging rights."

It was tempting but Sawyer wanted more. "Bragging rights and you have to tell me the story about that tacky tattoo."

Ben laughed, "What? You don't like my seahorse?" He'd known she must have seen it at the beach. "Alright fine."

Sawyer smiled and extended her hand, "Deal's a deal."

Wrapping his hand around her's, Ben nodded, "Alright. Put it in. Let's see how this is gonna go."

She walked over to the stereo and laughed as she read the CD again. Egyptian Pony Club didn't sound like a winner to her.

The music started and Sawyer was absolutely positive that she was gonna win. Music was her thing. The voice echoed out of the speakers and it was like nails on a chalk board. "Ha! See." Sawyer laughed and looked over to Ben.

"Go out with me." He walked over to her and nodded, "Come on."

"You lost. A deal's a deal."

Ben nodded, "So I'll take you to the grocery store, Port City Java, wherever you want to go so you can make fun of me, but go out with me." He knew there was something there. There was some...something he was feeling and she had to be feeling it too.

Sawyer wasn't going to lie. She'd been thrilled at the fact that he'd asked anyway but she was gonna play a little hard to get. "I don't know."

Taking a step closer to her, Ben nodded, "I'll pick you up Friday at seven." He waited to see if she responded and she didn't. "Okay, fine. You can drive."

Laughing out loud, Sawyer nodded, "Alright. I'll bite."

Ben smiled and Sawyer felt her heart start to race. She was biting at something that could turn into nothing or it could turn into something. Considering this was the same guy she'd met at the beach it could go either way. He was sweet and charming. His childlike antics were annoying but interesting. She wasn't one for blond hair cause it reminded her of her dad which weirded her out, but Sawyer was willing to take a chance. Who knows what'll happen.

**OTHOTH**

**There you go guys. First chapter's done. It was a long one, I know. For those of you who read Charlotte's spin-off (Little Moments: Like Mother, Like Daughter) you probably recognized a whole lot of what happened in this chapter, but I wanted to start here. Give the new readers a chance to catch up. But don't worry, I'm gonna try and get to "real time" (where they are in Charlotte's story) as soon as possible. Hopefully I'll be doing long chapters that will cover a lot of ground.**

**And as with any new story, feedback is key. I need know how many of you are interested in the story so I know if I should post more. So please take a second to let me know what you think. Want me to go for it, dive into the world of Sawyer Scott's snark and surprise, or leave it be and let you guys imagine how Sawyer ends up? Your pick.**


	2. The Flirting Kind

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 2: The Flirting Kind**

**Disclaimer: I am not Mark or anyone affiliated with OTH. The characters from the show are not mine.**

**A/N: Whoa, guys. Thank you so much for the amazing feedback for the first chapter. For those of you who are Leyton fans: I'm going to try my hardest to depict them as well as I can, but forgive my discrepancies sometimes. I don't know their relationship as well as I know (or like to think I know) about Nathan and Haley's, but I'm gonna try. I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter!**

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer didn't get nervous a whole lot. She wasn't the kind of girl to geek out over a boy and sit in front of the mirror to make sure her hair was perfect, that her make-up was covering any and all bad spots, or that her clothes were perfectly wrinkle free. That just wasn't her style. But tonight she was a teeny tiny bit more observant about those dumb things she hardly cared about. Just a little bit.

She hadn't even told Charlotte that she was going on a date, much less with Ben, so she was on her own at the moment. There wouldn't be a pep talk or second opinion about her outfit, but Sawyer knew she could manage. Jeans and a fun tank could work for anything. If he was taking her anyplace in town she'd be dressed for the occasion. Most places at least. Over dressed for Burger King and under dressed for The George, but she highly doubted he'd take her to either of those places. Fast food or white tablecloth weren't high on her list of places to go. It better not be on his.

Checking the time, Sawyer knew that he would be there any minute and she walked out of her bedroom. Her phone started to ring and she though it would probably be Ben asking for directions. Looking at the screen on her phone, Sawyer realized it wasn't.

"What do you want, Keith ?" Sawyer flopped down on the couch and waited for her twenty one year old brother to speak up.

"I need to get a band for a party we're having next weekend and..."

Sawyer laughed, "Ooh, so you don't want your frat party to suck?"

"Just give me few names, please." Keith rolled his eyes and waited to see if his twenty four year old sister would help him out.

"Birds in Flight. Egyptian Pony Club." Sawyer started to laugh and Keith knew better than to take her serious.

"Not the ones from your bad list."

"Oh." Sawyer smiled sarcastically, "You mean you wanted good bands?"

"Yeah." Keith knew at this point it would have been easier to call his mom. Sawyer was the one who handled new bands, though. She should be able to tell him the right people to book.

Sawyer sat up on the couch, "Alright. Do you have a pen?"

"No."

"Get one." Keith scrambled to find a pen and Sawyer started talking if he was ready or not. "There's this guy who plays at The Soapbox. His name's Trey DiMarco. He's a one mad band but his stuff is crazy good. I've talked to him a couple times but he won't sign. He plays for fun. I'm sure if you talk to him he'll be happy to play for y'all though."

"How do I get in touch with him?" Keith had scribbled as much of what his sister said on a old receipt.

Laughing, Sawyer shrugged, "That's the tricky part. You kinda just have to find him."

Keith put down his pen, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Look, it's not hard. He'll be playing a show tonight. Go see him and ask him afterwords. Tell him you know me."

Normally Keith tired to stay away from anything that had to do with letting people know about his family tree. Especially when it came to his older sister. She was either on people's good list or bad one, and most of the time it was too hard to tell how people felt about the opinionated, go-getter, won't take no for an answer Scott. "Ha, and that's gonna help?"

"Yes, actually. So if you want to have him play great music, entertain the drunken coeds then, yes."

"And he's playing, tonight?"

Sawyer nodded, "At The Soapbox at ten o'clock."

Keith wrote down the necessary info and then laughed into the phone, "If I come am I gonna run into you?"

"As much as I know you'd love to see me, no. I've got other plans."

He thought about asking her what those other plans included but he knew she'd just yell at him that it wasn't his business. "Alright, well thanks for telling me about this guy."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Can't leave my little brother hanging. You've got girls you want to impress."

Keith started to laugh and the two of them said their goodbyes. Sawyer tucked her phone in her pocket and it was just a little bit longer until she saw a car pull up in front of the house. He hadn't asked for directions from her but she figured that Graham must have told him. Walking toward the blinds, the blonde eyed Ben's car. It was a black 4-Runner. Nothing impressive and pretty boring. She'd pegged him as a truck guy but she'd been wrong. Something she'd have to get used to.

There was a knock on the door and Sawyer realized she must have been checking out his ride longer than she thought. She walked over to the front door and opened it.

"Hey." Ben smiled at her and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Hey." Sawyer leaned on the door and arched her brow.

Ben started to grin and looked over his shoulder toward Sawyer's car, "You're still driving, right?"

Sawyer reached for her keys spun the ring around her finger, "Where are we headed?"

He watched as she walked out of the house and shut the door before he answered her. "Just somewhere."

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer shook her head with a laugh, "Uh, I need a destination."

Ben nodded and they walked to the driveway side by side, "I'll tell you in a minute."

Sawyer made her way to the passenger seat and turned back toward him with a narrow eyes, "How about you tell me now."

"Just go right when you pull out of the driveway." He could tell that she wasn't exactly loving this whole taking directions from somebody else but it was funny watching her squirm.

Starting up the engine, Sawyer rolled out of the driveway and instead of taking a right, she took a left.

"I said right, O.J."

"I know."

Ben wasn't sure if he was the one taking her out or if it was the other way around. He could have sworn that he was the one doing it even though she was driving. "Okay, well, take this next left and we'll take the long route."

Sawyer started to laugh because if he was gonna press her buttons giving her turn by turn directions she could screw with him too. "This left?"

Looking toward the road he was talking about, he nodded, "Yes." Ben was pretty surprised that she actually took the left and then laughed at her, "If I tell you turn left up here will you turn right?"

Shrugging, Sawyer checked her mirrors, "It's possible."

Ben rolled his eyes with a shake of his head, "Well if we want to get there before it gets crowded then you should probably take that left."

Sawyer raised her eyebrows and started to turn left, "So this place we're going is popular?"

"Yeah. It get's crowed fast on the weekends." Pretty sure that he was taking her to one of the restaurants on South College, Sawyer tried to narrow down which one in her head. They passed one restaurant after another and then Ben looked toward a larger building and back to Sawyer. "See it?"

Just as her mother got wide eyed when something surprised her, Sawyer turned to Ben, "The bowling alley?" Was he serious? This was a first date between two mature twentysomethings. They weren't in sixth grade and her mother _was not_ dropping them off.

He knew it wasn't what she was expecting or probably hoped for but that was his plan. "You like to bowl, Sawyer?"

Having a competitive nature, Sawyer laughed, "I've got bowling skills you've never seen."

Laughing out loud, Ben nodded, "I'd like to see you try." He figured she was just blowing smoke up his butt, but if she wanted to talk a big game he'd let her.

She pulled into a parking space and quickly opened her door. "Alright, Benjamin, let's see what you got."

Ben had a goofy smile on his face and followed her to the entrance. He opened the door for the both of them and they made their way to the counter. Ben got them a lane for two hours and asked for their respective shoe sizes. Sawyer picked out a ball she could pick up without a problem and Ben got the heaviest one he could find.

"What color is that?" Sawyer put her ball down in the ball return and laughed at his brown sphere. It looked like shit. Literally.

"Chocolate? I don't know." He shrugged and set his brown ball next to her light green one. "Mint chocolate chip." He pointed at their balls and laughed, "Look. It's like two giant Dippin' Dots."

Sawyer was tying her shoe and she glanced over to where he was pointing. Was he seriously pointing out the fact that their balls looked like food? Dippin' Dots, no less? Yeah, he was. Sawyer just laughed at him and walked over to the computer screen to punch in their names. She thought about matching his juvenile sense of humor and putting something really dumb for their names but she kept it simple. Sawyer and Ben.

"I'm gonna go get some food. Do you care what I get?"

Sawyer couldn't help but smile at Ben as he walked toward her. His outfit looked horrible paired with those colorful, clown bowling shoes but he was kind of able to pull it off. She simply shook her head when they made eye contact, and when Ben walked past her Sawyer felt herself turn to watch him. What was it about this guy? She felt herself start to smile at him and she shook her head, "Get a grip." Sawyer suddenly looked around to see if anyone had heard her.

It didn't take long for Ben to get back and he had a pitcher of beer and two cups. "So you get first bowl, huh? How did I not see that coming?" He laughed as he put down their drinks on the table, "I gotta a pizza. It'll be ready in a little while."

Sawyer nodded and watched him as he poured her a beer. "Thanks." She took a quick sip and then got up to approach the lane. "Ready to be wowed?"

Ben took a sip of his drink and nodded. He watched her pick up her ball and steady herself a few feet behind the line. The jeans and the tank-top she was wearing went particularity well with the tacky bowling shoes. But Ben had a feeling that Sawyer could pull off just about any look.

Rearing the ball back, Sawyer took a few steps forward and then tossed her green ball of destruction down the lane. Everything was looking good until the ball decided that the gutter looked more appealing than the center. "What?" Frowning at the ball as it rolled into the gutter she turned around to see a rather smiley Ben. "Our lane's crooked."

Ben laughed, "Sure."

A little irked that her ball didn't cooperate the first time she waited for it to reappear in the ball drop and picked up. She may or may not have spoken to it for some help but no one would ever know. Sawyer took her stance and flung the ball down the lane. "No, no, no!" It went in the gutter again.

Getting up from his seat at the table, Ben took a sip of his drink and smirked at Sawyer when they passed by, "I can get us some kiddie bumpers if you need them."

Sawyer narrowed her eyes and sat down to see if he could do any better. She watched as Ben got his poo-poo brown ball and tossed it down the lane. Turning away, Sawyer didn't even want to watch because she could already tell. It was gonna be a strike. She heard him let out an excited yes or something and she turned to face him. He was still standing down by the lane and he simply opened up his hands and shrugged his shoulders. Ben hadn't even said anything and Sawyer felt herself start to smile. He was a dork. A big bowling dork.

She got up and walked toward him with the squint she'd inherited from her father. "I'm gonna make a comeback. I just had to warm up. Don't get cocky yet."

He just smiled at her when they passed and they brushed shoulders. Sawyer got a whiff of his cologne, or maybe it was his deodorant, and she couldn't lie, it smelled kinda sexy. So maybe Ben was a big bowling, sexy dork? She looked over her shoulder and raised her brow, yeah, he was.

Taking aim, Sawyer had her ball in her hand and promptly rolled it down the lane. It looked like a winner and when eight pins fell down she felt incredibly proud that she'd found her touch. "Ha! See. I don't totally suck."

Ben gave Sawyer a slow clap and nodded, "Guess not."

**OTHOTH**

Sometime during the fifth frame Ben heard his name over the loud speaker. Their food was ready. Sawyer went to the restroom to quickly wash her hands and when she was coming out of the bathroom Ben was walking back with the pizza. She caught a glance of the large pepperoni and smiled, "Playing it safe, huh? Just pepperoni?"

"Everybody likes pepperoni."

Sawyer nodded and the two of them sat down at their table. "So...? About that seahorse?"

Ben looked down to his left calf and grimaced. "About that." He laughed and took a bite of pizza. Swallowing, Ben reached for his drink and held it out. "I was in college. Actually we'd all just _graduated_ from college."

"Where'd you go?"

Ben put his drink down, "Coast Guard Academy." She knew that some people went there for college but a lot of people didn't. Most of the Coasties she ever knew didn't go to the academy. He nodded and continued his story, "So a bunch of us went out and I got drunk as hell. Really drunk. Somewhere between bars I think we stopped at a tattoo place and most everybody got something."

"Graham got that compass rose, didn't he?" Sawyer remembered seeing Graham's tattoo at the beach.

Ben nodded and rolled his eyes, "He was sober enough to get something halfway decent. Not great, but not...that." Ben looked down at his leg and shook his head, "So apparently when I was looking through the book I pointed to this cartoon thing and told the guy to make it look like it was from The Little Mermaid."

"You're kidding? How do you even know about that movie?" Sawyer started to laugh. Did boys actually watch that?

Shrugging, Ben laughed, "I have no idea. I don't remember saying anything about that but apparently I started singing some song from the movie and everything. Did I mention I was really drunk?"

"Well I hope so." Sawyer laughed even harder and looked down at his tattoo. "Wow."

"Yeah. Not my proudest moment."

"My dad actually has one of those."

Ben raised his eyebrows, "A dumb tattoo?"

Sawyer nodded, "Mmm-huh. It's on his arm. It's Chinese or something. He got it in high school when he got _drunk_."

"Tattoo artists should give their customers breathalyzers."

She smiled but furrowed her brow, "Then how would they make so much money? I bet you half of everyone who goes in there is drunk or high."

The two of them continued their conversation for awhile. Sawyer found out what it was he did in the Coast Guard. He was a patrolman. One of the guys who worked on the Diligence. He'd go out to sea every few months and make sure everyone was obeying marine law. He even got to carry a gun. He didn't have it now, but just the thought was sexy. Ben had asked her about her job. He figured he pretty much knew the basics but it was still cool hearing about it. Music was obviously a passion of hers. After riding in her car he knew she liked Elvis Costello but she talked about bands he'd never even heard of. Ben liked all music. Most of it. The blues were his favorite but Sawyer wasn't shocked to hear that when she found out he was from Memphis. Neither of them were particularly fond of the mainstream stuff, and in Sawyer's book that was gold.

They'd laughed about little things and argued about the little things. Sawyer was convinced that Seattle was the rainiest city in America but Ben had only laughed at her when she'd said that. Before he was stationed in Tree Hill he'd been stationed Mobile, Alabama. Talk about rainy cities.

"Ugh, you're wrong."

Ben shook his head. Sawyer was trying to argue that Seattle was the rainiest city but she obviously had no clue. "You do realize that it rains more here than it does in Seattle?"

"What?" Sawyer knew that thunderstorms rolled through town all the time and dumped a crap load of rain, but she'd never really thought about it. "Na-uh?"

"Yeah. A lot more. Tree Hill, Mobile, Miami, Dallas, Boston, all of them get more. Seattle is nowhere near the top." Ben shook his head as he at his last bite of pizza.

Sawyer wasn't a fan of not being right, "According to whom?"

Ben shrugged, "I don't know, weather people."

Sounding it out, Sawyer arched her brow, "Me-te-or-o-lo-gist?"

"Yeah, them." He nodded and leaned back in his chair, "I think people just assume it's the rainiest city."

"Well whatever." Sawyer finished her beer and got up from her chair. "We've got a game to finish."

He watched her walk over to get her ball and he shook his head. She had an attitude to her that Ben couldn't stop thinking about. It was challenging; almost like they needed to butt heads.

Sawyer got lucky and threw a strike and sauntered back to Ben with a strut and a smile, "Game on."

Ben smiled at her and got up, "Game on." He picked up his ball and for the next hour they went back and forth with the lead. Ben maybe, probably, threw a few gutter balls on purpose but no harm, no foul. They were having a good time taking friendly competition to a new level.

In their second game towards the end Ben threw for a turkey and he embarrassingly tucked his arms in and proceeded to walk toward her like a farm animal.

"Oh, wow. Stop." Sawyer saw him and shook her head laughing.

He kept on prancing around like a Thanksgiving bird and he was having a good time basking in his awesomeness. Getting three strikes in a row wasn't something to hide.

Sawyer could feel her cheeks getting a little red and she looked around, "Ben, stop." She could tell that he wasn't close to finishing so she walked over to him and laughed, "There are kids around." Sawyer was saying it as if to make is sound like his dancing was inappropriate. It wasn't and Ben hadn't taken it that way.

He flapped his arms a little faster and nodded, "I know." Ben saw one one boy looking toward him who was laughing. "He likes it."

Sawyer turned to look at the boy looking at her date and she rolled her eyes, "Oh, God." Sawyer shook her head and leaned her forehead against Ben's chest. She looked up to him and her blue eyes looked into his. She didn't even like kids but watching Ben make that little boy laugh was kinda sweet.

"Your turn, O.J. Knock 'em dead." He gave her a cute grin and sat down to watch her bowl.

Feeling her heart start to race when he'd call her O.J., Sawyer reached for her ball and turned to look at him.

Ben flapped his arms again and nodded, "You know you're jealous."

Sawyer rolled her eyes and swung her ball behind her and then released it. It was far from a strike but it wasn't half bad either. She managed to get a spare and when she walked toward him Sawyer flexed her biceps. "_You're_ jealous."

Ben laughed out loud and nodded, "I might be."

There was something about that guy that had Sawyer firing in all different directions. She'd never been around somebody who made her laugh like he did or who got an equal amount of eye rolls like he did. This Ben guy was of a different breed.

When time eventually expired on their lane, Sawyer walked over to him in defeat. "I guess we'll never know who would have won that last game."

Ben knew and laughed at her. "Uh, me."

"Sure. You can think that all you want." Sawyer reached for her shoes and laughed, "If you woulda won, it would have been thanks to your lucky seahorse."

"This guy's done me pretty well over the years." Ben patted his leg as he took off his shoe and shrugged, "You noticed it, didn't you?"

Sawyer felt a smile creep out of her mouth as she walked over to him, "Here. Hand me your shoes. I'll take them back to the counter."

Surprised that Sawyer offered, Ben handed her his clown shoes and watched her walk away. He got their trash and threw everything away and walked outside. The warm summer night was fresh against his skin and when Ben walked over to her car he laughed. For being such a tight ass about that thing he figured she'd at least lock it. Apparently she left some things up to chance.

Ben saw Sawyer walk towards him and he raised his brow, "That wasn't half bad, was it?"

If she was being honest, it had been a hell of a lot more fun than she thought. Sawyer shrugged as she shot him a smile, "It's wasn't horrible."

He opened up his door as she opened hers and they both got into her car. "Where's the button for the top? Is this it?" Ben looked at the center console and saw one red handled lever and one black."

"Yeah it's the black one."

Ben automatically figured he'd be able to work the thing but when pulled the black lever nothing happened.

Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "It's a little tricky." She moved her hand over to the lever and put her hand over the lever just as Ben took his off. Their hands touched for an eternal second and Sawyer didn't even want to look up. Ben's felt it too. He'd felt the same thing when she'd rested her head against his chest after he did the turkey dance. There was something there, and it was more than something.

Sawyer swallowed her nerves, or maybe it was excitement, she didn't know what it was but she pushed the lever down and then up, and then back down again. She laughed as she yanked it back up, "You kinda have to uh...work it out."

Ben looked at her and saw that she had a tiny bit of a blush. So she'd felt it, too? "Yeah. I know what you mean."

The top started to come down and the loud cranking noise interrupted their moment. Sawyer didn't know if she was thankful or pissed at the disturbance but she started up the car and headed back to her house.

Ben had his hand out of the window and the wind against his face made him feel a little like he was on the Diligence. He laughed and looked at the girl next to him, "Ever been pooped on by a bird in this thing?"

Sawyer made a face and shook her head, "Uh, no."

"Really? Even being this close to the beach? The gulls don't get you?"

"Not yet." Sawyer leaned toward the stereo and knocked on the wood grain.

Ben nodded, "Yeah, it's not fun."

"Are you kidding? You've been pooped on?" She saw him nod and she cringed, "That's absolutely disgusting."

"It kinda happens when you're dumb enough to feed sea birds a loaf of stale bread." He laughed at himself and shook his head, "I was on my first run on the Diligence and a buddy and I figured we'd pass some time by feeding the birds. You could say they got a little mad when we ran out of bread."

Sawyer laughed at him and imagined a swarm of birds taking aim on Ben. "You made it out, alive."

"Barely."

They talked a little longer and when Sawyer pulled into her driveway they were both still laughing about his bird debacle. Ben got out of his seat and Sawyer got out of hers. As they walked to the front door Ben had convinced himself that he would give her a goodnight kiss on the cheek. That way he'd be leaving her something to look forward to.

Sawyer got to her door and thought about inviting him in. Not for _that_, just to be nice. Then Charlotte popped into her mind and Sawyer remembered that her roommate would probably come home later, and she'd have questions Sawyer wasn't ready answer. She'd made it to the front door and turned around to smile at Ben, "I guess we'll have to have a rematch sometime since we didn't get to finish."

He nodded with a cute grin, "You're gonna loose."

Sawyer leaned against the door and shook her head, "I'll practice. I've got a little cousin who wears it out on the Wii. I'm sure he can teach me some tricks." Jaime's young son was an excellent Wii bowler and definitely could teach Sawyer a few things. She have to remember that the next time he was ever over at the house.

Ben felt himself step toward her and he nodded, "Rematch it is."

Feeling goosebumps, Sawyer could tell he was about to say goodnight. She'd been on enough first dates after Dillon to see that he was going for the cheek kiss.

"Night, Sawyer." Ben leaned his face toward hers.

On instinct Sawyer moved her face and instead of lips to cheek it was lips to lips. He'd been surprised but he wasn't pulling away, and when he did Sawyer saw his childish grin and kissed him again. There was something about Ben she couldn't resist. He wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her back and for once he was appreciative of her overpowering ways. In fact, he liked it. For her to take charge like that was sexy.

Sawyer felt herself come back down to flat feet and she looked to Ben with a squint. She wanted to tell him that she hadn't really planned that but she just mumbled something.

He had her speechless and Ben had a pretty good idea that it didn't happen to Sawyer Scott a lot. He let out a small laugh and glanced toward her old convertible, "I wanted to do that in the parking lot."

"I know." She'd known. Sawyer could tell the moment they were silent before the top started coming down with loud obnoxious noises that he'd wanted to kiss her. She'd wanted to kiss him.

Ben took a step backwards and shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, yeah. I'll uh...I'll see you later?" He looked like a lovestruck teenage boy and smiled toward the blonde.

Sawyer watched as he walked backward and couldn't help but smile when he stumbled, "See you later, Ben."

"Bye." He was halfway down the walkway and smiling like the biggest idiot ever. The cutest idiot ever.

Sawyer leaned against the door and used her hand to twist the doorknob, "Bye." It probably wasn't loud enough but it didn't really matter. She got inside her house and let out giant sigh. First dates were often disasters but that one had gone well. Really well. Bowling was the last thing she thought they'd be doing but it kinda made Sawyer like Ben more. He had the heart of a child wrapped in the body of a superhero. Not exactly, but... Ben was a nice guy and pretty nice to look at too. He was funny and he was sweet. He'd pick his fights and it didn't sting as much if he was right and she was wrong. He was the only guy who pulled off sexy in bowling shoes and he was a much better kisser than the imagined.

Walking into the kitchen, Sawyer grabbed one of the little pints of ice-creme and cracked open the seal. She hadn't even seen what flavor it was but she laughed when she saw the color. It was mint chocolate chip. Sawyer wasn't big on signs, she wasn't big on fate. She liked to go around thinking that she got to make her own life decisions, but it was starting to lead her to believe maybe some things were supposed to be.

"Hey, where have you been?"

"Shit!" Sawyer dropped the ice cream and about hit the ceiling when she saw Charlotte walk in the kitchen. "Wha...wha...where the hell is your car? I didn't even know you were home?"

Charlotte winced and realized she'd scared the crap out of Sawyer, "Sorry." She laughed as she replayed her cousin's reaction, "My car's in the shop. I'm picking it up in the morning."

"Holy hell." Sawyer flung her hand over hear heart and bugged her eyes, "I thought I was alone." She bent down to grab her ice cream.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Charlotte saw that Sawyer had busted into one of the pints of ice-cream and cut her eyes when she saw the flavor, "Sawyer? That's mine. You don't even like mint chocolate chip."

Sawyer looked at the ice-cream and shrugged, "Yes I do."

Arching her brow, Charlotte gave Sawyer a funny look. She could tell that her blue eyed cousin was about to binge out on some ice cream because something good had happened, "Did you sign a band?"

"No."

Charlotte ran her hands through her hair, "Well what's up?"

Sawyer shook her head, "Nothing. Nothing."

The younger Scott girl wanted to question Sawyer a little more but she heard her phone ringing. As Charlotte walked to her bedroom, she turned back around and studied Sawyer.

"What? Stop looking at me like that." Sawyer threw her arms out and shook her head, "Go answer your phone." Watching Charlotte walkaway, Sawyer knew her night was painted all over her face. She absentmindedly took a bite of the ice cream and her face soured. Charlotte was right. She really didn't like mint chocolate chip. "Ugh." She spit into the sink and shook her head. She may have not liked the ice cream but Sawyer was sure she liked Ben.

Drink a little, flirt a lot, and kiss him back if he kisses you. That was one of her mottoes in life, and Sawyer had lived up to it. She'd had a little bit to drink, she'd flirted with him a lot, and even though she initiated their first kiss, she'd kissed him back when he returned the gesture. In Sawyer's book she was three for three. She wasn't so good at bowling but that score wasn't the one that counted.

Ben was something new. He wasn't what she'd expected and that was her favorite part. He was a surprise in just about every way. Sawyer wasn't looking for love but whatever it was Ben was giving her she wanted it.

**OTHOTH**

Nearly a month since Sawyer and Ben's first date and things were going strong for the duo. They still had their petty little arguments but they laughed more than anything. He'd stop by Tric after his days on the boat and they'd talk a little and...flirt a lot. It had become somewhat of a habit, and Sawyer and Ben weren't the only ones who noticed it.

Peyton was shuffling through some paper work when she saw her daughter walk into the office. "Hey."

"Hey." Sawyer smiled a little brighter than normal.

Jumping right into it, Peyton rested her arms on her desk, "So? What's this guy's name I keep seeing you with?"

Sawyer sat down at her desk and took a sip of her coffee. She knew that her mom must have caught a few glimpses of Ben at Tric over the last few weeks. She wasn't exactly wanting to have this conversation now but it didn't seem avoidable. "Uh, just a guy."

"Well what's his name, Sawyer." Peyton gave her daughter a funny look and a laugh. "Oh come on. Give me a little more than that."

Sawyer knew she wasn't getting out of this conversation, "His name is Ben."

"Ben." Peyton repeated it and looked at Sawyer, "Are you two dating?" Her motherly instinct was kicking in and the questions were about to start coming in droves.

Remembering that this was one of the reasons she didn't always love working with her mother, Sawyer sighed, "I don't know, sorta."

"Sorta? Sawyer, sorta's gonna get you into trouble. Didn't you and Dillon _sorta_ date for a while?"

"Mom...don't." Sawyer really didn't want to get into the Dillon subject. "Ben's a nice guy. We're just hanging out." She looked down at the things on her desk hoping she could hide her smile that was telling the truth. They weren't just _hanging out_. At least starting that morning they weren't.

Peyton shuffled a piece of paper on her desk and looked to Sawyer, "Well what's he do?"

Sawyer took a breath and glanced to her mom, "He's in the Coast Guard."

"Ooh. That's nice." Peyton smiled at her oldest and raised her brow. She had respect for men in the military. Her brother was a Marine.

"Yeah." Sawyer nodded and tried to give her mom a quick run through of the rest of the things she'd want to know. "He's in the Coast Guard. He's twenty five. He's originally from Memphis. He's funny and he's really good friends with Graham."

"Is that who Charlotte's seeing?"

Sawyer nodded, "Uh-huh." She glanced around the room and then back to her mom, "And you don't have to tell dad about Ben. Not yet."

Peyton started to smile, "What makes you think I will?"

Giver her mother the 'Oh, please' look, Sawyer laughed, "Just...you know how dad gets."

"Okay, fine. I won't say a word." Peyton held up her hands and laughed. "I'll let you handle that."

That was perfectly alright with Sawyer. Introducing Ben to her parents would be under her watch and she didn't particularly want that to happen right now. Probably not even in the next few months. They all lived in the same town so it couldn't be avoided for forever, but parents meeting boyfriends, or guy friends, was always kind of awkward.

Peyton saw that it was close to ten o'clock and she got up out of her seat, "The new band's coming in to record soon. I'm gonna go check the sound station." She handed Sawyer a piece of paper, "Will you log these tracks from yesterday. I figured we can master them later. Haley might be coming in later to help out."

Sawyer took the piece of paper from her mom and nodded, "Yeah, sure. Are these for the acoustic album?" The younger Scott saw her mother nod and then Sawyer turned on her computer. The coffee she'd bought on the way over caught her eye and Sawyer started to laugh as she thought about that morning.

_It was about eight o'clock and Sawyer was alone in her and Charlotte's two bedroom home. Charlotte had left about thirty minutes ago to head to work at Tree Hill High and Sawyer was having a staring contest with a laundry basket full of towels. Why towels? It was funny really. Yesterday the two girls had a fiasco happen with their sink pipes._

_Old Faithful decided to uproot itself from Yellowstone and find its way to the girl's home, and things weren't pretty. Something had come loose and water sprayed from under the sink enough to all but flood the kitchen. So those towels that were staring at Sawyer were the ones that had been washed and dried after the water works display. All she needed to do was fold them and put them up, but she really didn't want to._

_It was relatively early, too early for Sawyer in fact and the last thing that Sawyer wanted to do was start her day doing laundry. Housewives probably did that. She was not one of those._

_Sawyer glanced at the laundry basket and sighed, "Fine. I'll put you up. Stop looking at me." Sawyer picked at the last bite of her insanely nutritious breakfast, a strawberry Pop-tart, and she walked into the living room. She fished through her record collection and was feeling something old school for her morning. Really old school._

_Finding one that satisfied her craving, Sawyer slid the record out of it's leaf. She spun it on her fingertips and placed it on the turntable. She lifted the needle and set it down on the record. Sawyer didn't know why, but she loved the way it sounded when the needle made that scratching noise across the hard vinyl. Nothing was better than that._

_Cranking up Sam Cooke's "Frankie and Johnny," Sawyer started humming the song as she walked back to the kitchen. She reluctantly started folding the towels, but the song about a woman shooting her man after she found out he was cheating on her was kind of awesome. Snap your fingers, sway your shoulders good._

_Sawyer was on towel number eight and had just walked back into the kitchen after moving the needle so she could hear the song again. She folded the last towel and put it on the top of her stack. "Suck it, towels."_

_The music had been so loud that she didn't hear him knock but Ben walked into the girl's house with two cups of coffee._

"_Hey." Sawyer saw him walk in and she couldn't help but noticed that Ben was in his all blue uniform. He had the baseball hat on, the big black boots, those blue pants and the matching shirt. He looked good._

"_I was early for work and I thought I'd stop by." He put one of the coffees he'd brought in on the counter in front of her. _

_Sawyer wasn't one for big romantic gestures but this was a little one that had her smiling. "Thanks."_

_He nodded and eyed the giant stack of towels "So you and Charlotte are trying to break a record for stacked towels?"_

"_No." Sawyer laughed, "We had a little plumbing issue yesterday."_

_Ben furrowed his brow, "What happened?"_

"_Well the sink decided to hate us yesterday and something busted or broke and water was everywhere. Everywhere!"_

_Ben walked toward the sink and opened up the cabinet. He saw that somebody had come in and fixed the problem. At least that was taken care of. "Looks better."_

"_Yeah, we got Jamie over here yesterday morning. He temporarily fixed it then told us the name of the plumber they use. Charlotte called them and they fixed it pretty quick. Charged us damn, one hundred and fifty bucks, though."_

_Knowing that the plumber had only done a few tweaks, Ben shut the cabinet and leaned on the sink with crossed arms, "You should have called me. I could have fixed it for free."_

_Sawyer silently laughed at herself because she and Charlotte had gotten into an argument about calling their respective guys yesterday. Sawyer pleaded the sissy girl clause and told her cousin she absolutely didn't want to call Ben because she'd seem needy. Apparently, her stubbornness cost them some cash._

_She reached for her coffee and took a sip as she walked toward him. She coughed before she made it to Ben and laughed. That so called coffee tasted more like tar. She put her drink on the counter and looked at him and then back to her drink, "Can you _fix _that? Ugh."_

"_What's wrong with it?" Ben looked at her drink and didn't really know what the problem was. No, that was a lie, this was Sawyer he was talking about. She could find anything to complain about._

"_It tastes like...dirt." Sawyer laughed and moved over to kiss him. "Thanks for the thought, though."_

_Ben rested his hands on her sides and he leaned down to kiss her after she'd pulled way. She was sexy when she was sweet. But he couldn't deny her other traits. She was sexy when she was bitchy. Sawyer was sexy no matter what._

_Sawyer saw his eyes grow darker. When his hand brushed the bare skin uncovered by her shirt, Sawyer felt her stomach fluttered. She looked up to him and they were talking to each other without words. Sawyer felt her face flush and her pulse increased. Why not. Hell, they should go for it now. It wouldn't matter. It was bound to happen sooner or later and to be quiet honest, Sawyer wasn't sure how they'd lasted so long._

_She kissed him again and laughed, "How...how long till you have to go?"_

_Ben glanced at his watch, "Twenty minutes."_

_That was plenty of time and they both knew it. Sawyer started to undo the buttons on his shirt. "Ben!" She felt him pick her up and she laughed out loud as she kissed him, "I'll kick your ass if you drop me."He couldn't help but let go for a second. "Shit, Ben!"_

_Laughing, Ben shook his head and grinned, "I'm not gonna drop you."_

_Sawyer rolled her eyes and flung her shirt over her head and she felt him start to walk out of the kitchen. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sawyer laughed when they brushed against the wall._

"_Sorry."_

_Sawyer laughed again and leaned her head back. She couldn't believe they were doing this right now. Well, she kinda could. She leaned back up to look at him and she only smirked before kissing him again. Ben fumbled with her door when they'd reached their destination and Sawyer even helped out by leaning against to wood to push it open. He was able to kick the door shut and he winced when it slammed hard against it's frame._

_Ben laid Sawyer down on her bed and unbuttoned the rest of his buttons. Sawyer was trying to shimmy out of her clothes and when she'd looked up to see that he was clad in white boxers with little Tasmanian Devils on them, she couldn't help but smile. If she didn't like him because of his personality, or the way he made her laugh, if Sawyer didn't like Ben because of the multitude of other things, she could always rely on his boxers. He did have really cute underwear.  
_

"Sawyer?"

The young employee of Red Bedroom Records was startled out of her trance and smiled at the group of people who'd walked into the office, "Hey, guys," Sawyer got up, "We're ready for you in the studio." She led the band towards the room, and as they got inside Sawyer heard her mom negotiating business. Just outside of the doorway, Sawyer leaned against the brick wall and took a deep breath. If only every morning could start like that. And Sawyer Scott wasn't a morning, but she could find herself adjusting.

**OTHOTH**

**How was that?**

**The reviews for chapter one were amazing and I can't thank you enough. Same goes for all of you who alerted or favorited the story. It's so great to know people are interested in reading about my version of Sawyer. Thank you!**

**For the people I couldn't respond back to:**

**tasha: I'm glad you like that I've started another story in the LM series. Of them all I think Sawyer's story is my favorite.**

**la la la: Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm grateful to know that you enjoy Charlotte and Jamie's stories. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one too!**

**JulieStone: I appreciate the feedback. I'm glad you loved the chapter!**

**Laura: Thank you for noticing the details I pulled from Charlotte's story. I try as best as I can to have all of the LM's line up with each other continuity wise.**

**Joan: Writing Sawyer and Ben at Tric was fun. It was something that didn't come from Charlotte's story so it was kind of the first part of them was was brand new. **

**Review Please!**


	3. Wave a White Flag

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 3: Wave a White Flag**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to One Tree Hill other than my DVDs. That's all I got.**

**A/N: Here we go guys, round three of Sawyer's story is underway. Just as a heads up, this chapter will cover a lot of ground (and it's REALLY long); August through December. Read for dates and just remember that there will be time jumps. I'll try to be as obvious and specific as I can but keep that in mind. Gotta play catch up to Charlotte's story. Oh, and Lucas make is grand entrance in this chapter. I hope you all like it. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer was in a holey pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt that had a large bleach stain, and her hair was thrown up in a messy ponytail. Her best friend, roommate and cousin wasn't as under dressed. It was early August and it was a particularly important night for the United States Coast Guard, it was the anniversary of its founding. Naturally that meant there would be a big banquet with Coasties in their formal uniforms, dinner, a commemorative speech, and a house band. Nothing particularly awesome in Sawyer's book. The fancy-dancy dinner wasn't her kind of thing. Hence the gray sweatpants.

Problem was, was that Sawyer was a little miffed that Ben didn't even mention it to her. Not even in passing. No 'Hey, Sawyer. We..uh, we've got this banquet thing for the Coast Guard and you can come with me if you want.' No mention of it at all. No invite, nothing. Ben had grown to learn Sawyer pretty well over the last seven weeks that he'd known her and a sit-down, dress wearing, white table cloth event was not her thing and he knew it. Why make her do something when she'd be miserable? At least that was his thinking.

And for the most part, Ben was right about the tangle headed blonde. She wouldn't have fun. She'd like to see Ben in his formal uniform but maybe she'd get him to put it on just for kicks some other time?

The thing that was really irking her though was the fact that Ben was taking a date to the thing. A date! Well, technically they were just friends but it was some girl named Megan. A girl named Megan, Sawyer didn't like even though she didn't know. But it wasn't like Sawyer and Ben were really dating. They were but they...weren't. There were no titles involved and commitment was the last thing either of them were really looking for, sorta, and Ben had simply gone someone else. Apparently Megan was a old friend who was also in the Coast Guard. Charlotte had even told Sawyer that the girl was just Ben's friend, Graham's too, and that she had nothing to be worried about. Yeah, well. Jealousy wasn't easy to fend off when Ben was such a good guy. Even with his goofy antics he was a catch.

"Have you seen my earrings? The ones that are kinda a goldish color?" Charlotte's voice came down the hall as she walked towards the living room.

Sawyer sat up a the couch and winced, "I think I've got them."

"Sawyer!" Charlotte furrowed her brow, "It'd be nice if you asked sometimes."

The blonde shrugged as she got up to go to her room. "You weren't here."

Charlotte followed Sawyer into her room and straight to her dresser. There was a clutter of mess piled high and Charlotte doubted they'd find what they were looking for.

"Before you start yelling, hold on, they're in here somewhere." Sawyer tossed a few things on her bed and looked through her drawers. "Maybe."

"Maybe? Liza gave me those for my birthday last year! I love those things." Charlotte wasn't exactly a fan of maybe.

"I saw them a couple days ago, so I know they are in here somewhere. Give me a sec." Sawyer stopped searching and closed her eyes thinking she could picture them in her head. She closed her eyes only so she wouldn't have to look at Charlotte and the sad 'I really really really loved those earrings. Please tell me you didn't loose them' face.

While Sawyer tried to picture where they last were, Charlotte started snooping through Sawyer's jewelry box. She had some pretty cool stuff. A pair of pale blue, antiqued single beads caught her eye and she held them up.

Sawyer saw Charlotte eyeing the blue beads and narrowed her eyes, "Wait a minute."

"Oh no. You have mine, so I'm taking yours. That's a fair trade." Charlotte slid the earrings in and turned to face Sawyer, "They look good, right?"

Annoyed that she couldn't find Charlotte's earrings and that Charlotte was wearing hers, Sawyer sighed, "Yes." She glanced at the clock next to her bed and looked back to Charlotte, "So when's he coming to get you?"

Charlotte laughed because she could tell that Sawyer was annoyed. "In a little while."

Sawyer walked to her bed and laid down, "I bet your dad scares him away." Knowing that Graham would be meeting Charlotte's parents tonight, Sawyer started to play Devil's advocate.

"What? Sawyer! No he won't." Charlotte turned to look at her cousin shaking her head.

"I don't know. He's pretty protective over you."

That was true but Nathan was never overly protective. Or was he? "It'll be fine. My dad won't scare Graham off."

Sawyer got on her bed and leaned back in her pillows and sighed, "I bet your mom will like him though. She'll probably..."

"Hug him. I know. I'll warn him before hand." Charlotte laughed because Haley probably would hug Graham. "You know I'll tell you all the details when I get home."

"I'll be waiting." Sawyer looked towards Charlotte, raised her eyebrows playfully and laughed, "Go fix your face before he comes over. You might scare him away before your parents do." She'd only said it to get a reaction. Charlotte didn't even need to put anything on her face. A natural beauty, Sawyer was sometimes jealous.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Thanks a lot."

"I do what I can." Sawyer got up off the bed and ushered Charlotte out of the room. "Really though, he'll probably be here soon. Grab your Altoids and double check your teeth. Nobody wants to see the spinach salad you had earlier."

Covering her mouth, Charlotte's eyes went wide. She headed to her room and went directly into the bathroom. Spinach had been a really bad idea. Notorious for sticking in peoples teeth, the leafy greens weren't the smartest choice for a snack before her date.

While the younger Scott walked into her room, Sawyer went back to the living room and flopped down on the couch. She started surfing the channels and couldn't find much worth watching. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Sawyer slowly got off the couch. She knew it was Graham.

Opening the door, she saw that he was dressed in his formal blue uniform with the white cap and Sawyer couldn't deny that Graham looked good. Ben would look better but that was beside the point.

"I'll go tell her you're here."

Graham nodded and took a step inside, "Alright, thanks."

Sawyer walked back down the hall and stuck her head in Charlotte's room, "Graham's here."

"Alright I'll be out in just a sec." Charlotte took one last look in the mirror and quickly put her earrings back on. When she walked out she saw him. That uniform complete with the white hat, he looked incredibly handsome.

Graham took notice of Charlotte's entrance and took his hat off, "Wow, you look great." Charlotte smiled and a slight blush crept across her cheeks. She'd never need to put actual blush on if she did it herself.

Sawyer was not buying all the mush and the stars in their eyes so she rolled hers and put her hands together, "Okay kids, you have fun." She ushered Graham and Charlotte out the door leaving them on the front porch. She laughed as she walked away from the door and to the kitchen. Dinner must have been approaching fast because Sawyer's stomach sneered at her with an internal growl and she furrowed her brow. "Jeez."

She opened up the freezer and saw her options. There was a Lean Cuisine, some ice cream, a frozen bag of some type of vegetable, and Sawyer had to seriously think about her choices. Ice cream was always good. Always. Vegetable were good for you, or something like that, and the frozen meal was the logical choice. She reached for the rectangular dinner and looked over her shoulder. Technically it wasn't hers to eat but Charlotte wouldn't miss it.

Skimming the directions, Sawyer opened up the box and stared at the unappealing contents. This stuff was supposed to be good? Oh no, correction, it was supposed to be healthy. Sawyer didn't even know why Charlotte bought such nastiness, she had a great figure but it was sustenance, and easy to make at that. She pulled out a knife and had a funny little laugh before she repeatedly stabbed the plastic film to vent the dinner.

After she was happy with the slits, Sawyer put the dinner in the microwave with a clank and pressed the appropriate buttons before she walked back to the living room. She went back to watching nothing and when the ding let her know her food was ready Sawyer got back up. When she pulled out her food she frowned and poked her fork at the still frozen food. She did read the directions right, didn't she? "What the hell?"

Sawyer dumped the food back in the microwave and let it cook for a little longer and then she checked on it again. It looked good enough and she flopped down on the couch with her ready made meal in her lap. She blew on her bite of ravioli before she ate it but promptly held her mouth open when she realized her dinner sucked.

The phone started to ring and she hurried to her cell phone after she dumped her dinner in the trash. "Hey, what's going on?" It was either Lucas or Peyton calling because a picture of their old yellow home flashed across the screen.

"I was in the middle of making dinner and I doubled something I wasn't supposed to so I have a lot more food than your dad and I can eat. So if you don't have..."

"I'll be over in a little while." Sawyer didn't need her mom to finish. Free food, free drinks; Sawyer didn't need to be asked to come over. Her mom wasn't the best cook but it beat Lean Cuisine. That was for sure.

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer pulled along the curb and parked her car behind the Comet. That old car had been through hell over the years but it was still the Comet. Sawyer looked at the dash of her old Volkswagen and knew that it would be in the same place twenty five years down the road. It might be in pieces by then but it was her baby. And the best part about that was that Sawyer didn't have to change a dirty diaper, just the oil.

Walking up the front porch, Sawyer walked into her childhood home without knocking and looked straight into the kitchen. She couldn't see her mom but Sawyer could hear her. The music was softly buzzing through the house and Sawyer rolled her eyes. She didn't like the Cure. They were whinny sounding. Sawyer stopped in the doorway of her old bedroom that had been converted to her dad's study and she watched him type on his computer.

"Working on something new?" Sawyer walked into the room and picked up the basketball that was sitting on the floor and spun it on her finger without much thought.

"Nah, not really." Lucas shook head head and leaned back against his chair, "Same old, same old."

"Right." Sawyer laughed and arched her brow, "Which part of you and Mom are making this book?"

Folding his arms tight across his chest, Lucas squinted at his twenty four year old and shook his head, "Not everything is about your mom and me."

"An Unkindness of Ravens. The Comet. I'll Be Seeing You. Someday." She laughed putting her hands on her hips. "I can keep going."

Lucas grinned, "I think I'm gonna do something new this time. Mix it up."

"Yeah? I think I have a start." Sawyer put down the basketball and walked in front of her father's desk pacing out her thoughts sarcastically. "Boy falls for girl. Girl can't make up her mind. Boy dates another girl. They break up. Boy realizes he still loves the first girl."

With that same squint he'd put on for years, Lucas rolled his eyes, "I think I know where this is going."

Sawyer laughed and shrugged, "Boy and girl get married after some serious angsty moments and they end up with a _heavenly_ daughter." Sawyer smiled at her father and then remembered Keith, "And a son. They get a son, too."

Peyton had heard Sawyer's idea when she'd walked to the door frame and she rested her hand on her hip, "Sounds vaguely familiar."

Lucas spun his chair towards his wife, "Doesn't it?"

Peyton nodded and furrowed her brow, "I think their _heavenly_ daughter might be stretching it with that description. Don't you think, Luke?"

Squinting at her mom, Sawyer spoke before her father did, "I think it's pretty spot on."

"Says the girl who snuck out...how many times when you were in high school?"

"Oh, come, on. That was in _high school_. You weren't exactly saint like were you? I've grown out of that phase."

Peyton laughed when her daughter said that but didn't want to start a verbal spat. Their quick spars were common but hardly anything to break bonds over.

Lucas found it funny when Sawyer and Peyton started getting like this. They were both so much alike that it was obvious they would butt heads from time to time. When he realized that one pair of hazel eyes and one pair of blue eyes were landing on him waiting for some kind of back up, Lucas simply threw up his hands, "Eh, don't look at me. I was just trying to write."

Peyton laughed as she walked back toward the kitchen and Sawyer smirked at her dad, "Playing the no sides card?"

Lucas got up and nodded, "I learned a long time ago that it was better to smile and nod when you and your mom..." Lucas wiggled his finger, "...talk."

Folding her arms, Sawyer shook her head, "It's only when we're here, though. We can get along fine when we're at the office." It was true. They could. And it wasn't even that she and her mom _didn't_ get along when they weren't working, they could just have a bit of a snarky tone with each other. Apparently it was something neither of them would grow out of.

"It's ready!" Peyton's voice rang out from the kitchen and Lucas tilted his head toward the door. He followed Sawyer out of the room and into the kitchen.

The family of three made their plates and sat at the small table in front of the back door.

Peyton reached for the salt and looked to Sawyer, "So I was talking with Haley today and she said something about going to a banquet tonight."

"It's some Coast Guard thing. A birthday or something?" Sawyer nodded and took a bite of her green beans.

"Graham was taking Charlotte. Did Ben not want to go?"

Well her mom was jumping into the thick of it wasn't she? "No he did. I just didn't go with him."

Lucas knew about a guy named Ben. Peyton had told him all the information she'd gathered so far from tiny conversations with Sawyer, he knew that this Ben guy was someone who meant _something_ to his daughter. "He didn't want to go?"

Sawyer finished chewing and put down her fork, "No. He went. He didn't ask me to go with him."

Both Lucas and Peyton glanced at each other and suddenly felt like they were going down a road similar to one when Sawyer dated that asshole, Dillon.

Taking in the looks on her parents' faces, Sawyer shook her head, "But you know me. That's not my thing. It's white table cloth and for old people who want to hear about the history of the Coast Guard. It's not a big deal."

Lucas was the first one to spot the truth. It was in Sawyer's eyes. She cared a little more than she led on. "And how long have you been seeing this guy?"

"Not that long." It really hadn't been long so it was understandable that he didn't ask her to go. Sawyer would have rather been given the chance to say no but she didn't have a say in everything. A three week old relationship wasn't game for this kind of thing. "But it doesn't matter. It's not a big deal." Sawyer wanted to change the subject and she looked at her dad, "Did you and Keith work on the Corvette yesterday? He was saying something was rattling around under the hood."

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, one of his hoses had come loose. It was a pretty easy fix..."

Sawyer had been able to steer the conversation pretty well. She and her parents talked about her younger brother, they talked about the new store that opened up downtown; simple conversation for a relatively simple family. Aside from the craziness of Tree Hill the Scotts had turned out pretty normal.

When dinner was over with Sawyer put her plate next to the sink and opened up the refrigerator. "Do you have any of Grandma's pie left over?"

Peyton shot a look to Lucas and arched her brow, "Ask your father that question."

"Well, I, I, I..." Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "It's not all my fault. Keith had some yesterday."

Peyton narrowed her eyes because she knew their son hadn't. He didn't like that particular pie. Karen had a knack for deserts but the banana cream pie was not on his list of favorites.

"You ate all of it?" Sawyer's eyes bugged and she laughed.

"No...not _all_ of it."

Turning on the sink to start the dishes, Peyton looked over her shoulder with a smile, "Just most of it."

Sawyer shut the refrigerator and shook her head with a defeated sigh. She really wanted some of that pie. "I guess I can live without dessert." Checking her watch she laughed and leaned her head towards the door, "Thanks for dinner, Mom." She looked to her father with a nod, "Let me know if you get any of that new book idea on paper."

"I will. I'll send you the first chapter when it's done."

As his family editor-in-chief, a role she took from Haley a few years back, Sawyer smiled, "Alright." She started walking toward the front door and her her mom holler.

"I'm making your dad's favorite breakfast in the morning. Pancakes. So, if you want to stop by for more free food, you're welcome to. And tell Charlotte."

Sawyer was halfway down the hallways and she shook her head, "French toast!"

"French toast, Peyt." Lucas had said it at the same time and he looked at his wife with a his same old squint.

Realizing she'd mixed up the two breakfast foods again, Peyton sighed, "Dammit."

Sawyer just laughed as she listened to her parents talk about breakfast. After over twenty five years together you would think that her mom could remember her dad's breakfast food, but it wasn't so easy for whatever reason. She opened up the door and looked over her shoulder to yell her goodbye, "Love y'all." Laughing as she stepped down to the walkway, Sawyer made it to her car and cranked up the engine.

Pulling away from the curb, Sawyer let the warm summer air blow her hair in messy tangles but at the moment nothing felt better. There was something exciting about driving a convertible at night. Top down, stars overhead, the cicadas buzzing louder than any music, and a temperature that was hot and sticky sweet.

When she made it home she pulled in the driveway and turned down the stereo. She put the top up to save the leather from the morning dew and she walked towards the front door.

Inside, Sawyer changed right back into those grotty sweatpants, that old t-shirt and threw her hair back up into a messy ponytail. She was still feeling a bit of her sweet tooth and walked into the kitchen to see what was available. There wasn't much and she though about sticking in a strawberry Pop-Tart in the toaster cause that was sweet but she only had one left. And Sawyer didn't want to have to be stuck eating Raisin Bran for breakfast.

There was a knock on the door and Sawyer narrowed her eyes. "Charlotte! It's unlocked!" She laughed out loud because her Ivy League educated cousin sometimes was really dumb. The knock rang out again and Sawyer shook her head, "Genius, it's not locked, you idiot!" Sawyer furrowed her brow and walked toward the door. Glancing out the window Sawyer could hardly see the back end of a dark SUV and assumed that Graham was bringing Charlotte home. "Okay, really? It's not..." Sawyer swung open the door and stopped talking when she saw him.

Ben was standing in front of her door with his uniform, blue eyes, that goofy grin, and that white cap. Sawyer had to swallow hard and try not to stare.

Taking off his hat and running his hand through his hair, he smiled, "Hey."

"Hey." She leaned on the front door and was lost over his appearance. And Sawyer didn't get _lost_ a whole lot.

Ben took a deep breath and ran his finger over the bill of his cap, "I wanted to stop by."

"Yeah?" Sawyer could feel herself melting as she looked at him and she knew she needed to snap out of it. A uniform shouldn't have _that much_ power. But it did. Oh, it so did. Blinking away his charm, Sawyer arched her brow and put on her sarcastic voice, "So how was the banquet?"

"Boring."

Sawyer laughed, "Shocking."

"I should have asked you to come."

Shaking her head, Sawyer laughed, "No, it's fine. Sounds like it sucked." Ben could see right through her words and raised his brow. Sawyer narrowed her eyes and wondered how he did that. She laughed and nodded, "Okay, yes. You should have asked me."

Ben didn't want her to think that he was simply taking advantage of her. It wasn't meant to be a friends with benefits kind of relationship. He genuinely liked her snark and sarcasm, and he was pretty sure that she like his own antics. "I just didn't want you to think..."

Sawyer shook her head, "I don't." She took a step closer to him and admired the patches on his chest and shrugged. "_Next time_ I'd like an invite though."

He nodded and for the first time realized what she was wearing junky old clothes and smiled thinking that she had to be the only girl who could pull that off. And when it registered to Ben that Sawyer said 'next time', he knew he hadn't blown it all by not asking her to the banquet. He wasn't a guy who was all that good with words, and he looked down and nodded, "Yeah, I will."

Sawyer couldn't take it anymore. His nervousness and that uniform were gonna send her heart into HCM episodic rhythms. She didn't have HCM but she wasn't convinced she couldn't get it, especially with a boy like Ben standing in her doorway. "Damn right." Sawyer tugged on his jacket and kissed him.

Laughing at her attitude, Ben shook his head and started to smile, but before he could say anything Sawyer stepped back into the house, "See you later." She shut the door in his face with a seductive smile and laughed out loud when she walked toward the couch. Ben was probably expecting Sawyer to peel her clothes off after that, and while she wanted to, she could restrain herself. That uniform had hold on her but she wasn't giving in that fast. They were still early in the game and if they wanted to play fair she wasn't giving in that easy. He didn't ask her to the banquet and Sawyer didn't ask him in. It was back to an even playing field.

But this whole thing wasn't a game. The way Sawyer leaned against the couch with a cute little grin and the way Ben looked behind his shoulder as he walked to his car; it wasn't a game. The pounding in their chests, the breathless moments when they saw each other, the way he made her laugh and the way she made him smile; it wasn't a game at all.

**OTHOTH**

The early shades of fall littered the downtown October trees and Charlotte was looking out her and Sawyer's back window when she heard Sawyer come in.

"Okay so I know that Graham told you that you were supposed to wear black and I was supposed to wear gray to this...thing but I'm switching. You look better in gray than I do." Sawyer looked down to her black skinny jeans and her long sleeve tee.

"Sawyer..." Charlotte laughed at her cousin, "Don't you think that we were supposed to wear those colors for a reason?"

"No." Sawyer jumped up on the counter and swung her feet, "It won't matter. And where are we going, anyway? Didn't Graham tell you? Ben didn't say anything to me."

Charlotte shook her head and poured out her now cool cup of coffee, "No, but I put the address in my GPS." She walked past Sawyer, "Let me go change into something gray since you insist."

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Sawyer nodded and waited around the kitchen for Charlotte to reappear. Sawyer checked out her best friend's out fit. Charlotte was wearing an old Tree Hill High sweatshirt with the pair of jeans that had broken belt loop. Sawyer shuddered at the thought of their high school days but nodded, "Very nice, now let's get going."

For once in her life, Sawyer let Charlotte drive, but it mainly had to do with the fact that Sawyer was gonna leave wherever they were going with Ben. Get some lunch or something. It was beautiful October Saturday, they had the whole day to do whatever they want. But before that started, the girls were headed to an unknown destination and when Charlotte drove past the sign that told them what they'd be doing she shook her head.

"Absolutely not. Doesn't this hurt really bad?" The younger Scott looked toward the older with a worry in her eyes.

Sawyer started to laugh. The boys had them go to a paintball place "Ha, I don't know. I've never played." The blonde wasn't so worried as the brunette and she thought it would be pretty fun.

"I really don't think this is a good idea." Charlotte was not a violent person.

Laughing even harder, Sawyer shook her head, "Don't worry, _Mom_. They'll give us pads, and helmets and whatever else we need. We're gonna have a good time."

Charlotte parked next to Ben's black 4-Runner and the girls got out of the car. When they walked toward the entrance Ben opened up the door with a furrowed brow. He was wearing jeans and a gray hoodie and shook his head. Sawyer must have complained about wearing that color and switched with Charlotte. Looks like they weren't gonna be on a team, instead they'd be playing against each other.

Ben laughed as the girls walked by and shook his head as Sawyer, "Nice outfit."

Realizing that her selfishness in color choice messed up the team, Sawyer simply laughed, "I did it on purpose." She hadn't but at least she made it seem like she did. Going up against Ben would be fun; a little bit of the same ole' same ole'. She loved to bicker with Ben, but actually taking it out on him via paint might be kinda nice. Get him back for telling her that Buddy Guy was better than B.B. King. Set the record straight that taking the Market Street way was in fact the fastest way to maneuver Tree Hill's streets. The tiny things they constantly disagreed about could be settled in the woods between trees and flying paint balls.

There were a group of about sixteen people gathered around the desk where they handed out equipment and Graham walked up to Sawyer, "So you're on my team?"

"Looks like it." Sawyer nodded and wiggled her shoulders, "When do we start? I'm ready."

Laughing at her enthusiasm, Graham looked at his watch, "Just as soon as we get suited up."

Sawyer nodded and walked over toward the black team with Graham. Most of them were Coasties that she knew. There were three other girls playing and one of them was on Sawyer's team. She hadn't met the girl but Sawyer was a people person, most of the time, and she smiled, "Glad to know I've got another girl on my side."

As the girl strapped on her black chest guard, she nodded, "Yeah, I know. We normally are pretty outnumbered when we play. She nodded and then looked to Sawyer, "I'm Megan, by the way."

"Oh." Sawyer let that slip before she wanted and tried to cover her surprise, "Uh, I'm Sawyer." She looked at Megan, the girl who'd taken her place at the banquet two months ago and kinda wished she'd been on the other team. It was dumb to hold a grudge but Sawyer couldn't help it. Wasn't that most people's natural reaction?

Megan knew that Sawyer was with Ben and she laughed as she looked at him. "Most of the time he sneaks around the perimeter. Keep an eye on him and he won't stand a chance."

Getting past the fact that Megan was the other girl, for the lack of a better term, and the fact that Megan was much prettier than she imagined, Sawyer liked the notion that Megan was giving her pointers. "Yeah? I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Glancing to the over sized man-child, Sawyer started to laugh. "This is gonna be a fun day, huh?"

Megan nodded and watched as Sawyer stared to put on her protective gear. She also caught the stare landing on Sawyer that was coming from Ben and she rolled her eyes. That guy was so hung up on that girl it was hilarious.

Graham had three guns in his hands and gave one to Megan and Sawyer. "Best of three games."

"That means best of five." Megan leaned over to Sawyer and laughed, "The boys never want to admit defeat. We'll be here all morning."

"Good to know." Sawyer laughed and didn't find it all that surprising.

Everyone got their helmets and the large group made their way outside. Ben strategically walked close to Sawyer and she looked up to him. "Better not fraternize with the enemy. I hear that's a very bad thing."

Ben laughed and patted her helmet, "Have fun out there, O.J."

He may have hit her a little harder than she was expecting so in retaliation Sawyer balled her hand into a fist and swung at his chest, "You, too." She immediately winced when her hand smacked his chest protector.

He laughed and walked away with his hand out, "Man of steel."

Man of steel her ass. Sawyer shook her hand with a laugh and was happy that she had on her helmet because her cheeks were scorched with a fiery red. The way he said things, and how he acted; Sawyer couldn't get enough.

The two teams split to go to their respective bases within the wooded area and the madness was about to begin. When the horn sounded everyone scattered like winds in the sky and paint started flying in all directions.

Sawyer was playing mischievously and was slowly making her way into enemy territory. Her eyes were scouting the grounds and she saw a gray someone hiding behind a tree.

"Don't you dare!" Charlotte shot a warning shot towards Sawyer and ducked behind another tree. "Please don't shoot me. I can't show up to work on Monday with bruises all over me."

Sawyer laughed and as much as she wanted to plant a nice orange blob on Charlotte's chest she could hold off.

"Fine, fine, fi..." Sawyer suddenly felt something hard knock against her ribs and she looked down to see a yellow splat. "Ugh."

Ben took a step from out behind some brush, held out his gun toward his face and blew loser in her direction. "Nice try, Sawyer."

"What the hell? I didn't even see you."

Ben walked toward Charlotte and gave her a high five. Apparently they'd worked together to trap the overly confident Scott girl.

"Oh, come on!" Sawyer shook her head and pulled her trigger in their direction. She wasn't going to be had that easily.

Charlotte screamed and immediately took cover while Ben took the brunt of Sawyer's frustration. Orange paintballs started pounding his chest and Ben fired back at her. "Shit! Sawyer, you're OUT!"

She'd run out of paintballs and walked toward him as she slid the visor portion of her helmet up, "I can play dirty too." When she got close enough she was sure that Ben wasn't going to return fire and she walked right up to him and patted his chest. Her hand was smeared with pain and he raised his visor. Mistake on his part because Sawyer promptly put her hand to his cheek and gave it a good pat, "Nice try, Ben."

Ben wiped the paint away from his mouth and laughed. Instead of saying anything he quickly returned her gesture. But Ben's hand was rather large and he ran it over her entire face.

She inhaled feverishly and shook her head, "You're an ass."

He loved it when she got angry and shut her up with a kiss.

Two members from the black team covertly walked toward the couple and looked at each other wondering if the two lovebirds knew they were on opposite teams.

A voice came out from behind a tree, "Uh, I think they're out and I would appreciate it if you didn't shoot me." Charlotte peeked from behind the tree and tried to stay covered.

Sawyer looked over her shoulder to her teammates and nodded, "Yeah, we're out." She turned back to Ben and pulled on his sweatshirt so they could continue to make out while a paintball war swirled around them.

It was kind of their style. Chaotic but passionate. Nobody could deny them that.

**OTHOTH**

After the paintball games ended, the group returned their gear and guns and everyone went on their respective ways. Some people were going out to lunch together and Sawyer and Ben were in that group but when they got in the car she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Shit. We have to go to Tric." She glanced at her phone and shook her head. There were five missed calls from her mom and one new voice mail. Sawyer didn't particularly want to listen to it because she knew that she was supposed to send out a shipment of CDs by a certain time. She'd already missed the first time period for Saturday pick up but maybe they could make the later one? "Mom's gonna kill me."

"What did you do?" Ben turned his car toward toward the old warehouse and laughed at Sawyer's reaction.

"I was supposed to send out some CDs today so they would arrive to distributors and retailers by a certain day next week. Shit, shit, shit." Sawyer rolled her eyes at herself and huffed, "Ugh..."

"We'll get there in time." He said it so matter of factly that it made Sawyer turn and look at him. His colored face and splotched clothes paired with his grin made her think maybe things wouldn't turn out horribly. Maybe she could send them off in time.

It didn't take long for Ben to pull into the gravel parking lot and Sawyer opened her door before he stopped the car, "Come in with me. I can't get all the boxes by myself." He nodded and they both quickly ran up the old iron steps.

The door was unlocked and Sawyer figured that Neil was there setting up the bar for Saturday night and she rushed to the back of the warehouse to Red Bedroom Records. When she didn't' see the boxes sitting on the pool table she started to freak out and then she heard a voice.

"I already sent them. I tried to call you."

Sawyer turned toward her mom's desk and winced. "I didn't have my phone around."

Laughing at Sawyer's messy appearance and the paint that was smeared in various place on her body, Peyton laughed, "Did a shelf at Sherwin Williams fall on you?"

"Where are they Sawyer?" Ben walked into the back room looking around for the boxes they so desperately needed to get to the post office.

Eying the cute guy who walked into the studio covered in paint much like her daughter, Peyton started to smirk and arched her brow.

"Uh..." Sawyer looked to Ben and then her mom.

Ben realized that they weren't the only ones there and he smiled, "Hey." He cleared his throat because he knew this woman wasn't some co-worker of Sawyer's. They had the same smile, the same raised brow. It was her mom.

Peyton stood up and laughed, "And you must be Ben? The paint shelf fell on you too, huh?"

Nodding, Ben smiled at Peyton "Nice to meet you Mrs. Scott. Ben Trammell." He held out his hand but Sawyer swatted it away because there was paint all over it.

"We were playing paintball." Sawyer looked down to her clothes and ran her hand over her brow. She could feel the paint splotches on her face and Sawyer swallowed hard. Did she immediately apologize for temporarily forgetting about work or play off Ben's adorableness? The second option sounded much more appealing. Starting with an actual introduction. Sawyer looked to the guy next to her and then at her mom, "Mom this is my boyfriend Ben. Ben, this is my mom, Peyton."

Hearing her say boyfriend made Ben smile that cute smile even wider.

"Looks like you two had fun?" Peyton immediately caught on to the cute appeal that Ben had and didn't blame Sawyer one bit for liking his company.

"Yes ma'am, and I apologize for keeping her away from work."

Peyton shook her head and laughed, "Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I think it was more her doing than yours."

"Mom..." Sawyer really didn't want to get yelled at in front of her boyfriend.

Her _boyfriend_, she'd said it and now she was trying to hide the smile as she thought it. It was kind of official now, wasn't it? Ben Trammell and Sawyer Scott? It worked.

Peyton had been Sawyer's age before, and she knew how awkward it was with parents, mainly her father, when he met boys. She wouldn't drag it on much longer. "Well it's nice to meet you Ben." She nodded toward her daughter's boyfriend and walked around her desk and leaned on the front of it, "I've got a brother in the Marines so I appreciate everything you guys do out there."

"Thank you." Ben hadn't expected that compliment but anytime anyone thanked him for his service he took it to heart. He didn't know that Sawyer had an uncle in the military but he also just found out that he was her boyfriend.

Sawyer didn't want her mom and Ben to talk for forever so she stepped in, "Ohhh-kay. Since you came through for me I guess we're good to go?" Sawyer walked toward Ben and pulled him toward the door. She leaned close to him and whispered, "I'll meet you in the car."

Ben could tell that Sawyer was awkwardly nervous about the meeting but Ben knew he and her mom could and did get along just fine. He nodded but looked over his shoulder before he walked to the bar, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Scott."

"You, too." Peyton nodded and watched as Ben walked away and then saw Sawyer walking toward her.

"Okay, look, I'm really sorry about not getting those CDs out like you asked."

Shaking her head, Peyton couldn't be too upset. This Ben guys seemed like a pretty good catch and Sawyer's happiness was just a little more important than those CDs. "He's nice."

Surprised that she didn't get any more than that, Sawyer furrowed her brow, "You're not gonna yell at me?"

"No," Peyton laughed and shook her head, "Ben seems like a pretty nice guy. I think you did good, kid."

Realizing that her mom had put Ben on the approval list made her smile. Not that Ben wouldn't have made it, and not that Sawyer really cared to an extent, it still was nice to hear. "Yeah?"

"A little messy..." Peyton laughed because Sawyer was covered in paint, too. "But I like him." Seeing the smile on Sawyer's face, Peyton tilted her head towards the door, "So go on. Everything's handled here."

Walking backwards, Sawyer smiled and then bumped into the pool table. She laughed because she was never that clumsy and nodded, "Alright, thanks. Bye."

"Bye." Peyton let her goodbye sing song through the air and she felt pretty good about where her oldest was in life. Watching either of her kids get happy over anything was always a nice feeling.

Sawyer walked out of Tric and skipped down the steps as she made her way towards Ben's car. She opened up the door and Ben smiled, "Your mom's pretty cool."

Noticing the Comet in the parking lot that she hadn't seen before, Sawyer nodded, "She's pretty bad ass."

"So how bout we do lunch somewhere downtown? We're already here?"

"That works for me." Sawyer nodded and looked to over to Ben. He'd turned away to look for cars as he pulled out of the parking lot and Sawyer took a deep breath. His cheeks were covered in orange and his right eyebrow was partially covered with the same color. It didn't even matter that they were a walking paint display. Sawyer didn't care where they went and who they saw. She also wasn't the kind to geek out over a boy or a feeling, but he made things different.

It took all of a few minutes for Ben to find a place to park downtown and after he'd put in the money for the spot they started walking toward the Riverwalk. They talked about where they wanted to eat and couldn't decide between Dock's or Reel Cafe. Dock Street Oyster Bar was smaller and probably more crowded so they decided that they'd go wherever the wait was shortest. Turned out that they were equally as busy but Ben put their name in at Dock's and they decided to roam around the cobblestone streets while they waited.

When they'd walked across the stree to the wooden planks, they were far enough down the Riverwalk to see a good glimpse of the Diligence. Ben shoved his hands in his pockets, "So...about what you said to your mom."

She knew what was coming. Sawyer nodded, "Yeah. I uh..." Sawyer didn't want to seem like a babbling idiot so she turned on that attitude of hers, "I figured it was about time."

He laughed but took a deep breath. "Yeah but I should probably tell you something?"

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer looked at him with a curious eye, "What?"

"It's gonna be different than the average relationship." He saw that she nodded and he looked at the boat he called home sometimes. "You know I'm a patrolman, right?"

"Yeah?" Sawyer was starting to wonder what she'd jumped into.

"I haven't had to go out since we've started...dating, but I'm set to leave in early December for a seventeen day run."

"Oh." Sawyer hadn't really thought about what it was going to mean, and how things would work when he actually had to go out on the Atlantic for a while. "Well...that's okay."

"I know, but some people forget about that stuff. I wanted to let you know before you start really thinking about...us."

She looked at him and shook her head, "I don't need to think about it." Sawyer started to smile at him and stepped closer, "I think I can handle you going away for a little while." She laughed and raised both of her eyebrows, "I've kinda always thought it was sexy when military people got back from doing their thing and they reunite with their wives, or girlfriends or...whoever."

"Yeah?" Ben wasn't surprised that she'd said that but questioned her anyway. "So you'll be at waiting around the docks for me to get back?"

"If I'm your girlfriend, I'd imagine so." She nodded and kissed him, "Some other bitch better not be in my place."

Ben laughed out loud and rolled his eyes. "You've got a mouth like a sailor, O.J."

"Mmm-huh. Kinda familiar territory, huh?"

He nodded and they started walking again. Sawyer looked over toward the Diligence and was a little excited about this challenge. Seventeen days would be a long time but technology wouldn't keep them too far apart and she was sure that she'd love the day he came home.

Ben on the other hand wasn't so caught up in the process of leaving and coming home, but more excited about sharing it with Sawyer. They'd been seeing each other seriously for about three months, known each other for four, and they both realized that _they_ were getting _serious_. When he got home from that patrol he knew that if anyone was standing there waiting for him he'd want it to be Sawyer. She was annoyingly defensive, she was more than opinionated, but there was someone underneath all that Ben found beautiful and intriguing. Whatever it was, whoever it was, he wasn't taking it for granted and knew a good thing when he saw it.

**OTHOTH**

The October leaves had fallen relatively quickly, Thanksgiving came and went, and December was settling pretty nicely. Sawyer and Ben were still going strong and the blonde was currently checking the clock every seven seconds. Why was she so diligently watching the time? Because Ben was coming back today. He'd been gone for seventeen very long days and Sawyer was anticipating his return with each second that passed.

If she were watching herself as another person she'd smack herself for acting so girlie. It really wasn't like her to get so excited about going downtown. It was kind of bittersweet though. On on end of things Sawyer and Ben were gonna see other and they'd been excited and all blissed out while the other Coastie couple wouldn't share the same fortune. Charlotte and Graham were dealing with some insecurities in their relationship and Sawyer felt bad that they couldn't share the excitement. Graham had broken up with her cousin about some dumb idea that he wasn't good enough but he was sorely mistaken. Sawyer knew, every one knew they were right for each other in every way possible.

Sawyer walked into Charlotte's room and leaned on the door frame,"So what's the plan?"

Turning to her cousin, Charlotte shrugged, "You. Me. Riverwalk in twenty minutes."

Liking Charlotte's attitude, Sawyer nodded. She'd given Charlotte a lengthy spiel about her breakup with Graham and it was nice to see her younger cousin taking initiate. Graham was on the same boat as Ben and it looked like the two girls would greet their guys together after all. "Alright. One car or two?"

"One." Charlotte took a look in the mirror and realize that Sawyer probably would want clarification. "We can take yours."

"Well yeah." Sawyer laughed because that was never not an option. "I'm gonna throw on a change of clothes and I'll be ready in a minute."

The blonde walked into her room and changed into her most flattering pair of jeans and she had a specific t-shirt she wanted to wear. Laughing as she walked over to the bag, she knew that Ben might appreciate it. As she threw it over her head, Sawyer started to laugh and remembered why she was wearing a shade of green Kermit the Frog wouldn't even wear.

_Four days into the mission and Sawyer and Ben hadn't been able to communicate at all. The guys had to split up time on the computer but Sawyer knew that when he'd get his chance she'd know. She just didn't know it would be in the morning when she was trying to get ready for work._

_Her computer made a noise letting her know something was trying to message her and she stuck her head out of the bathroom. Toothbrush in hand, she squinted at the sender and knew that D-USCG-9832 was somebody she couldn't ignore. She pressed the button and saw a fuzzy picture of that blue eyed man-child in front of her._

"_Hey, Sawyer."_

"_Ben, hey!" Sawyer sat down in front of her computer and wiped her mouth of any stray toothpaste. "How's it going?"_

_Her image was coming in kinda blurry but when he heard his fellow patrol men start to hoot and holler he turned to look at them and furrowed his brow, "Cut it out, guys." He glared at his friends and looked back to the screen and widened his eyes. Ben tried to used his hands cover the screen and shook his head, "Sawyer...wha...put a shirt on!"_

_Sawyer furrowed her brow, "I'm in the middle of getting dressed." She didn't think her black bra was anything to worry about. And she hardly thought Ben would mind._

_Leaning close to the boat's computer, Ben cleared his throat, "The rest of the guys are standing around."_

"_Hey, Sawyer."_

_The blonde heard Graham's voice and she heard a few of the other guys greet her. She started to smirk and arched her brow, "Hi, boys."_

"_Sawyer..." Ben loved that she was friends with his friends but he didn't want everyone staring at her chest. Some things were better left for him._

_Grinning at Ben's protective face, Sawyer laughed and quickly got up to throw on a shirt. She sat down and laughed, "Show's over guys." Laughing, Sawyer looked directly at Ben's picture on her screen, "Better?"_

_He nodded and then tried to make out what shirt she'd put on. "Don't you have other t-shirts? Ones that aren't band shirts?"_

_"Ye...yes." Sawyer cut her eyes. Maybe that was a slight lie but why did it matter? "And their vintage. That's why they're so cool."_

_Ben laughed, "There other things out there that are vintage besides old bands."_

_Sawyer wasn't sure if she was loving the rip on her wardrobe conversation, "Well, whatever. All you wear is blue."_

_"It's a uniform, O.J." Ben looked down at his outfit and smiled back into the web cam, "And you like it."_

_Yes she did. Sawyer couldn't argue with him on that one. She took a deep breath and changed the conversation, "So what have you guys been doing out there? Find any pirates?"_

_"No, not yet." He shook his head but he didn't want their short time together to be all about him. "What's been going on with you?"_

_"The usual. Fending off the bachelors at night and trying to find the next great musician by day."_

_Ben pictured Sawyer literally fending off the jackasses who thought she might be single and he started to laugh._

_"What?"_

_He shook his head, "Nothing."_

_"Uh, no." Sawyer looked into the camera and squinted, "Did the guys crack a joke about me or something? I'll kick their ass."_

_"Yeah, you do that, Donatello." Laughing at her, Ben got a kick out listening to Sawyer.  
_

_"Who?" Sawyer didn't know who the in world Donatello was but he sounded like someone she'd learned about in one of her Art History classes ages ago. "Is he a painter?"_

_Ben knew that she didn't catch his crime fighting reference and he laughed, "Don't worry about." Confused about what he was talking about, Sawyer furrowed her brow and leaned back in her chair. Ben heard the captain holler out his name, "That's me, O.J. Times up."_

_Disappointed that their time was cut short, Sawyer's shoulders dropped, "Oh." She swallowed and nodded as she looked to Ben's picture on the screen._

_Ben got up from his chair and leaned towards the screen, "By the way...you look really good on this fuzzy little screen." He nodded, "I'll talk to you in a few days." He raised his fingers to his forehead and saluted, "Bye."_

_"Bye." Sawyer took a deep breath and started to feel her cheeks catch on fire. The signal died and she was looking at an empty black box. Ben was something else.  
_

"Sawyer?"

Charlotte's voice kicked Sawyer away from her flashback and she straightened out her shirt."Yeah, hold on."

Charlotte nervously walked around the living room and when Sawyer came out of her room Charlotte couldn't help but laugh at Sawyer's shirt. "Ninja Turtles?"

Looking down at her shirt, Sawyer kinked her brow, "_Vintage_, Ninja Turtles."

"I take it Ben's a fan?"

Sawyer nodded, "Of that and every other thing little boys like. Comic books, superheroes, crime fighting turtles, and I wouldn't rule out Tonka Trucks." Eventually she'd figured out who the Donatello, Ben was talking about when they'd talked two weeks ago and Sawyer was pretty sure he'd like her shirt.

Charlotte started to laugh. Never in a million years would she have pictured Sawyer falling for some goofy man-child. Ben was sweet and incredibly caring, but the absolute opposite type Sawyer went for. "You ready?"

Sawyer pulled out her keys and nodded. The twosome walked outside into the cold mid December air and the girls got into her car. "Have you figured out what you're gonna say?"

"Not exactly." Charlotte shook her head, "I didn't want to over think it."

Sawyer fired up the old Volkswagen's engine and looked to Charlotte apologetically, "The heat will take a while."

"I know." Charlotte looked to Sawyer and nodded. She felt the car dip out of the driveway and then they were headed toward the water.

Every light they hit was green and it didn't take but five minutes to get downtown. Sawyer pulled into an open space and looked toward the setting sun. The reflection of the water sent golden hues every which way and she was starting to feel butterflies like Charlotte had. Charlotte was feeling anxiety but Sawyer was feeling excitement and both Scott girls were ready for that boat to arrive. The two guys they cared about where about to come home and it had been long awaited.

But waiting wasn't only done by the girls. Graham and Ben were having those same feelings. Ben knew that Sawyer would be waiting for him but Graham wasn't so sure about Charlotte.

"Alright men, expect to dock in about eleven minutes." Captain Turner's voice rang through the loud speaker and when Graham looked out ahead of them he could see the old bridge that lead into the city. They were almost home.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Ben put his hands on Graham's shoulders and shook him semi-violently. He loved the fact that they were almost home.

Laughing after his brain had settled, Graham nodded, "Yeah, it does."

Ben looked as excited as a six year old on Christmas. The kind that still believed in Santa Claus. His smile was growing and he was rubbing his hands together. "I'm so ready to get off this boat."

"I can tell." Graham laughed and shook his head.

Back on dry land Sawyer started to squint and pointed at the vessel cruising up the Cape. "That's them."

Charlotte looked to where Sawyer was pointing and nodded, "Yeah."

Sawyer opened up her door and started to get out. She turned back to Charlotte who wasn't moving, "Well aren't you coming?"

"I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Knowing not to press Charlotte any more than she had, Sawyer eagerly made her way toward the water and started to feel her heart race. He hadn't even been gone that long, not compared to a lot of other military men and she was starting to sweat. It was a nervous, hot sweat, but it was freezing outside. She fanned her jacket open so some cool air could circulate around her body. Sawyer looked out across the water and saw that the boat was about to dock. She was pretty sure she caught a glimpse of Ben but she didn't immediatly run up to the boat. She'd waited seventeen days, a couple more minutes were tolerable. And as if on cue, suddenly the chit chat amongst the rest of the people waiting died down and a old melody started running through her head. It was embarrassing and Sawyer didn't know why the Beach Boys would be in her head but that's all she could think about. The drums, the harmonies, the ten second mark when the electric guitar picked up; the rhythm in her head was dangerously making Sawyer rethink her love for Elvis Costello.

On the boat, Captain Turner reached for his radio and clicked it in place, "All hands on deck. Let's tie her up."

Ben had been spotted Sawyer in the crowd and was slow to move to his position. He was pretty sure that she was looking right at him and he started to smile.

"Ben, come on. She'll be waiting for you when we get done." Graham laughed as he patted Ben on the back.

The guys went to their positions and it didn't take long for them to tie up the Diligence. Ben was the third guy down the steps and he slung his duffel bag around his shoulder and started walking toward the tall blonde. His eyes fell on hers and he started to smile when he saw her shirt.

Sawyer had to restrain herself from running up to him but she didn't want to make a fool of herself. Ben made her do things she never thought she would so it was still a possibility.

"Hey." He was walking straight towards her from fifteen feet away and was grinning like a fool.

"Hey." She had her hands on her hips and a smile mirroring his plastered across her face.

"Nice shirt."

"Nice uniform." She arched her brow when he was close he enough to touch and she pulled on his shirt. Her heart was doing back flips, there were probably sparks in there too, and Sawyer looked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Welcome back." She was trying to play it cool, but Ben wasn't buying it.

He dropped his duffel bag with a loud thud and grabbed a hold of her hips to pull her close to his body. His cheek grazed the side of her head and it sent shivers down her spine. "Welcome back? That's all I get?" He was smirking and arched his eyebrow.

"Shut up." She cut her eyes at him and leaned up to kiss him. That damn Beach Boys riff got stuck in her head again and she started to roll her eyes. She stopped concentrating on what was going on in her head and worried about the boy in front of her. Ben Trammell was everything she wasn't and that's why she liked him. Sawyer pulled away and took his hand in hers, "Come on."

Ben didn't need orders but he picked up his duffel bag and they walked toward Sawyer's car. He tossed his bag in the back and sat down in the passenger's seat. Sawyer cranked up the engine and saw Ben reach for the stereo. He turned up the volume and was sure that whatever CD or radio station she'd left it on would be good.

Sawyer popped the clutch and started to pull away from the curb and she looked over to Ben who was beating his thighs to the bass. And it wasn't an ordinary beat. The song playing on the radio made Sawyer furrow her brow and she looked at him one more time. No...it wasn't...? Yeah. It was.

Ben laughed at himself and changed his voice to fit the high pitch. "Well it's been building up inside of me for, oh, I don't know how long." He didn't start the other line because he laughed, "Come on Sawyer. You have to know this one." His hand went to the dash and he started tapping out the beat.

It was another one of those tells, wasn't it? A sign, fate, destiny? Those things that Sawyer used to laugh about? She never really believed any of it but that might have been because she'd never experienced it. Like their first date and the mint chocolate chip ice cream? She wasn't particularly fond on that stuff but she liked Ben. Cherry Garcia and Phish Food were her style but she was starting to come around on that other flavor. And she really wasn't a fan of the The Beach Boys. She liked Elvis Costello and Sam Cooke. But as she watched Ben mumble sing to that same damn song that had been running through her mind only minutes ago, Sawyer was starting to re-think her position on liking things and the concept of signs. Maybe things _did _happen for a reason? Sawyer may have liked one thing, but Ben got her to like something else. It was obvious that she liked him, and while they drove away from the reflective waters of the Cape Fear, Sawyer watched Ben rock out to the old song and she was starting to think that like could turn to love.

**OTHOTH**

**So that was a lot of stuff to take in. Hopefully you liked all the interaction in the chapter. Ben met Peyton. Seems like she likes the guy so that's good news for Sawyer. Next chapter I'll have Ben meet Lucas, and Sawyer and Ben will likely go somewhere together. Guesses, ideas? Love to hear what you guys think. Oh, and bonus points and a shout out next chapter if you figure out the significance of the chapter titles thus far.**

**My reviewers have been nothing short of amazing. Wow, guys. Just wow. You all really make me wish there were more than 24 hours in a day and more than 7 days a week. I want to write for you guys forever. Thank you for the support! I sincerely appreciate it!**

**Laura: I know we haven't gotten to see a whole lot of Lucas in Sawyer but he's in there. It's not as obvious as her Peyton traits but he's in her. Keeping up with cannon from the show is something I try and maintain in all my stories so mentioning Lucas' tattoo and Derek were easy to throw in there.**

**BDavis: I'm so glad you liked the first and second chapters. I enjoy writing Charlotte and Sawyer's friendship and Ben...yeah, he's pretty fun too, lol. Yeah, the Sawyer and Ben relationship isn't a deep and tortured one but it will have it's own little bumps. Since you know what's happening with in in Charlotte's story you'll get to fill in the blanks with this story. You'll find out what happens with Ben and who she eventually ends up with.**

**Joan: Well I can't give you answers just yet. Stay tuned for those but just hang in there. You'll find out what happens. It's so great to know that you enjoy a story not wholly centered on the core 5. I didn't think I'd ever read something like that, much less write it, so I'm happy you're taking the chance with the spin offs. **

**Review Please!  
**


	4. Love for Tender

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 4: Love for Tender**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer Scott is not my character. Neither are LP, NH, Jamie, Brooke or Julian. Not mine.**

**A/N: The support for this still baffles me and I love it, guys. LOVE it. If I could write all day everyday, I would. Shout outs for LoriLove and BDavis since they correctly got the question I posed at the end of last chapter correct! This new chapter includes something I think a lot of you have wanted to see and also includes Sawyer and Ben taking a bit of a road trip. It also has some new characters I'll be introducing into the story that are in the LM, LFLS, and LMLD. So grab a chair, pop some popcorn; get comfortable. This one is a long _one_. If it helps, read the first section-take a break- and then come back and finish the next two. Read on to find out what snark-tastical things Sawyer will be up to in this chapter. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The old Karmann Ghia's stereo was playing the familiar carols of Christmas time and Sawyer couldn't help but tap her fingers to the beat of "Merry Christmas, Baby", but Sawyer wasn't listening to Otis, or Mariah, and definitely not Celine. Sawyer had made herself a more alternative mix with the likes of Weezer, Gatsby's American Dream, Sheryl Crow, and Travis. Christmas music wasn't strictly limited to the classics. Burl Ives and Frank Sinatra were great but Sawyer got to hear enough of them shopping in any store she went in to. Cruising around town in her old car was _classic_ enough for her.

Headed toward her aunt and uncle's house, Sawyer couldn't help but feel nervous as she listened to her holiday tunes. It wasn't the annual Christmas Eve party that had the twenty four year old worried, it was the fact that her boyfriend was meeting her father. Sawyer had been able to avoid the scenario for a while but she was just gonna have to bite the bullet.

And it wasn't as if Lucas hadn't tried to meet Ben. He had. He'd drop by Tric every once in a while because he knew that Ben would show up on occasion. Thanks to his informative wife, Lucas was sure that he'd be able to bump into the six foot four, blue eyed, Coastie his daughter was all crushed out on. But Sawyer had been pretty smart about the whole thing. She'd managed to keep Ben and her dad away from each other. It wasn't that she was afraid that her father wouldn't like Ben. Who could _not_ like Ben? It as more about the seriousness of it all. Meeting each others parents was always a big step in relationships and Sawyer was a bona fide commitmentphobe. Ever since she'd broken up with the buttface from Berklee she'd kept all her relationships casual. Quick things that lasted a few days. Nothing over a week. Sure, it was a little whorish, but it beat getting her heart stomped on.

But then Ben came along. Having him around started to make her realize that what they were doing, what they had was serious. They'd met about six months ago, had been going out for the last four and half, and she hadn't stopped thinking about him since.

Incoherent of the time, Sawyer made her way up Nathan and Haley's driveway and realized that she was the first one there. Charlotte's car was in the driveway so Sawyer wasn't technically the first one there but she was still there early. "Shit, what time is it?" She was speaking to herself and rolled her eyes when she looked at the clock. She was fifteen minutes early. Sawyer didn't do early.

Knowing that she couldn't sit around in her car and wait for everyone else to start showing up, Sawyer pushed open her door and started to head towards the house.

The front door opened and Charlotte and Nathan heard somebody walk in. Nathan was surprised at who it was but Charlotte was the first to speak.

"What? What are you doing here so early?" The younger Scott girl arched her brow with a curious smile.

"Don't act like this is a surprise." Sawyer narrowed her eyes at her cousin and walked to Nathan giving him a side hug, "You both can't honestly say that it's _that_ strange."

Neither Charlotte nor Nathan said a word.

"Oh come on!" Sawyer furrowed her brow, "Whatever. I'm starving." Sawyer glanced toward all the food and she started to smile. "Why is it that my mom sucks at cooking and your mom gives all the catering companies in Tree Hill a run for their money?"

Charlotte couldn't think of a very good reason, "I don't know."

Eyeing the half eaten finger sandwich in Nathan's hand, Sawyer cut her eyes and crossed her arms, "Where'd you get that?"

Nathan looked at the delectable sandwich and knew that his niece was wanting in on his wife's most famous food. "I caught Charlotte sneaking one out of the fridge."

"Dad! You were the one doing that. Not me." Charlotte's big brown eyes got wide and she laughed.

Nathan knew that his daughter was right but he wasn't going to admit to stealing the tea sandwiches everyone loved. Haley only made so many. They were in the fridge for a reason. They'd come out later.

"Hello? Hello?" Brooke's voice rang out as she walked into Nathan and Haley's home. She saw three Scotts standing in the kitchen and she furrowed her brow, "I wanted to get here early so I could see the baby." Huffing, Brooke set her purse on the counter, "And Jamie and Liza aren't even here."

"I'm here." Sawyer turned to her aunt with a funny expression.

"Well..." Brooke nodded and started to walk over to the blonde who mirrored a young version of her best friend. "I know that..." She laughed and hugged the older Scott girl, "Merry Christmas, Sawyer."

"Merry Christmas, Aunt Brooke." Sawyer was facing the front windows and saw Jamie's not-as-cool-as her-Kharmann-Ghia, green-junk-FJ-40 pull up the driveway. With a sarcastic tone of voice Sawyer smirked, "Gee, who drives a green Toyota?"

Brooke pulled away from Sawyer because she knew that her god son must have pulled up. "They're here!"

Charlotte started to smile because for as long as she'd known her aunt Brooke, the raspy voiced brunette had always loved babies. She and Julian had had their own son, Davis, but he was in college; grown and well out of the phase of diapers and crawling.

Sawyer wasn't as baby oriented as Brooke. Kids were gross. They didn't wash their hands. They picked their nose and ate their buggers. They drooled on themselves, and Sawyer particularly hated it when kids were sick, had a runny nose, and wiped it on their sleeve. All gag-worthy. So Jamie's newest addition, six month old Claire, was cute and sweet but not cuddle worthy. Bennet on the other hand, Jamie's little boy who'd just turned six was a hoot. She could hang out with him all the time.

As the family of four made their way into the house Brooke swarmed Jamie's wife, Liza, while Bennet ran up to his grandfather.

"Guess what grandpa?"

"What?" Nathan looked at the little boy eagerly and Bennet used his finger to let Nathan know he was gonna whisper in his ear. "Santa's coming tonight!" It didn't really come out as a whisper.

"Tonight?" Playing along, Nathan's eyes got big, "Really?"

Sawyer walked over to Bennet and rustled her hand over his blonde hair, "Well I wonder if Santa will come if I beat you on the Wii?" Smirking at the boy, the tall blonde arched her brow.

"You can't beat me!" Bennet ran after Sawyer and the two of them were going to battle it out. "Basketball, baseball, or bowling?" The boy ran over to the console and started to turn on the machine."Which one?"

"I've been getting better at bowling." Sawyer nodded at Bennet and smirked, "Game on?"

"Game on." Bennet pushed the button and tossed Sawyer her controller.

Lucas and Peyton walked in the door about ten minutes later and Lucas could hear a little bit of shouting. He leaned close to Peyton and smiled, "Who do you think's winning?"

Peyton took off her coat and listened to the voice echo through the room.

"You little fart knocker, how'd you get a strike?"

Laughing, Peyton looked back to her husband, "Sawyer never did like to lose."

Lucas laughed as while Peyton went to coo over the baby and say hey to Brooke and Haley, and he went to see just how bad Sawyer was losing. "Seven frames in and you're down by forty?"

Sawyer looked over her shoulder and cut her eyes, "He's a machine."

Bennet looked up and nodded as he flexed his muscles. "I'm pretty good."

Lucas laughed and crossed his arms as he shook his head, "You're getting beat by a kid, Sawyer."

"Dad..." Sawyer shook her head, "Don't rub it in." She felt her pocket buzz while Bennet lined up in front of the TV to take his turn, and Sawyer pulled out her phone and tossed her dad the controller, "Take over for me, will ya?"

Squinting at the screen, Lucas nodded while Sawyer walked away from her father. _I'm here. Santa suit and all. _"Oh my god." Sawyer's eyes lit up when she read the second part of his text and shook her head. Ben had joked that he would show up toting the big red suit and white beard but she was hoping he wasn't serious.

Slipping out of the front door, Sawyer saw his shadowy figure walking up the driveway and she started to feel her cheeks warm as the cool December wind blew through her hair. As Ben got closer Sawyer felt herself start to smile. He wasn't wearing a Santa suit, just the hat. He walked right up to her and smiled while Sawyer simply shook her head.

Ben put his hand on his hat and laughed, "You like it?"

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer felt her cheeks turn hotter as she stared at him. Forrest green Polo, khakis, Santa hat, and a camel colored suede jacket. He looked good. "Maybe."

He laughed and leaned to kiss her as he nodded, "I thought you might."

"Everybody's pretty much here. Graham's not. Neither are Keith and Davis but...they'll get here." Sawyer's blue eyes fell on his and she looked to the front door, "It's a mingle and eat h'ordeuvres kinda thing. No big deal." Sawyer looked up to him and couldn't help but smile at his face. A grown man should not look that good in a Santa hat.

"And your dad...?" Ben knew that the real issue wasn't a small talk over drinks and h'ordeuvres.

Sawyer suddenly got nervous again but shook it off when she saw Ben smile a grin that belonged to a twelve year old. "He's inside trying to save me defeat from a six year old." She laughed and shrugged, "At bowling."

"Bowling?" Ben laughed and shook his head, "I haven't taught you anything?"

"Apparently not." Sawyer wasn't above making excuses. "To give him credit, his mom played collegiate soccer for UNC and his grandfather is Nathan Scott. Kid's kinda good with hand-eye coordination."

"Wait till he get's a piece of me." Ben raised his eye brows and nodded, "I'll give him some competition."

Pulling Ben towards the front door, Sawyer laughed, "I'd like to see you try."

When the couple got inside, Nathan happened to be walking by. He smiled at his niece and the guy next to her, "You must be Sawyer's boyfriend?"

Ben immediately extended his hand, "Ben Trammell, sir."

Nodding, Nathan smiled, "Nathan Scott." Shaking the Coastie's hand, Nathan tried to piece it together how his opinionated, hard ass niece fell for this goofy guy wearing a Santa hat. "You're a friend of Graham's, right?"

"Yes, sir. We've know each other since college."

Nathan liked Graham so he could see himself liking Ben. From his personality and the hat alone, he seemed like a guy who was hard not to get along with.

"Ben, Sawyer finally dragged you to one of these things?" Peyton walked toward the group and smiled at the boy who had won her daughter's affection.

Sawyer looked at her mom with a sneer, "I did not _drag_ him, Mom."

"And I'm liking the hat." Peyton nodded towards Ben's accessory.

Ben smiled and put his hand on his head, "Well thank you." He laughed and looked down to his green shirt, "I thought I'd dress accordingly."

"Brooke's gonna have a fit when she meets you." Loving the fact that Ben could goof around and be so comfortable around a house full of strangers really sat well with Peyton.

"Actually..." Sawyer hooked her arm around Ben's, "I was gonna go find Dad."

Peyton raised her brow and watched her daughter and Ben head Lucas' way.

"Oh!" Lucas threw up his hands and clinched his fist, "Strike!"

"Hey..." Bennet put his hands on his little hips and flashed a curious grin toward the man next to him, "I thought I was the only one to get strikes?"

Lucas smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "Guess not." He watched as Bennet warmed up his arm and heard Sawyer and another pair of footsteps walk toward him. "Hey."

"Dad..." Looking at her father and then looking to the guy on her arm, Sawyer smiled, "This is Ben."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Scott, Ben Trammell."

Lucas shook Ben's hand and noticed the firm grip, his tall frame, big grin, and the hat sitting on top of his head. "Lucas Scott."

"Who are you?" The little six year old looked at the man he'd never seen before and furrowed his brow.

Ben bent down and held out his hand, "Lieutenant Jay-Gee Ben Trammell."

The little boy smiled and shook Ben's hand, "My name's Bennet. Is _your_ name Bennet?" The six year old was going to get really excited if this guy had the same name.

Smiling, Ben shook his head, "Nope, it's Benjamin. Ben for short."

"But you're tall?" Bennet looked up to the guy and smirked with a furrowed brow. He didn't let Ben answer because he had another question. "Are you in the Coast Guard like Graham? I really like Graham. He is my aunt Charlotte's boyfriend. Are you Sawyer's boyfriend?"

Smiling, Ben nodded, "I like Graham, too. And yes, I am in the Coast Guard and I'm Sawyer's boyfriend."

Feeling like he was in the presence of a celebrity, Bennet looked up to Lucas, "Can I play with him?" He thought the Coast Guard was incredibly cool and thought it would be even cooler to play with Ben. His great uncle Lucas didn't compare.

Lucas quickly covered his heart with his hand, "Bennet. Ouch. I'm not fun anymore?"

Sticking out his little finger, Bennet met Lucas' glance, "Well are _you_ in the Coast Guard?"

Sawyer laughed out loud and answered for her father, "Nope. He's not."

Laughing at the little boy who reminded him of a young Jamie, Lucas held out the controller and nodded to Ben, "Here."

"Thanks." Ben took the controller from Lucas and looked at the boy next to him. "I'm kinda good at bowling."

"Me, too." Bennet nodded and started a new game.

"Well, do you know what a turkey is?"

Bennet nodded, "Yeah, it's meat!" Laughing, the little boy thought that was an odd question, "Grandma makes really good sandwiches."

Smiling at the boy, Ben laughed, "In bowling, a turkey is when you get three strikes in a row."

"Oh." The six year old looked to the older guy with a cute smile, "I didn't know that."

Getting ready to flap his arms, Ben nodded. Sawyer knew that her boyfriend was about to demonstrate his turkey strut and she started to laugh. "I'm gonna get a drink, what do you want, Ben?"

Laughing at Bennet who was imitating his flap, Ben laughed, "Whatever is fine."

Lucas decided to follow his daughter over to the bar.

"I know." Sawyer didn't even let her father say or ask before she butted in. "I know...he's a little...goofy."

Lucas let out a laugh but shrugged, "I..I think he's a nice guy."

"You don't hate him?"

Laughing again, Lucas poured himself a drink while Sawyer got two beers, "No." Lucas shook his head and looked over to the spot where Ben and Bennet were playing together. Ben was the exact opposite of that bastard who cheated on Sawyer last year. Ben Trammell was the last thing he was expecting but Lucas had a feeling he was what Sawyer needed. "I like him."

Surprised that her dad didn't say much more or question or pry, Sawyer squinted, "That's _it_?"

"I'll talk to him later and get to know him better, but..." Lucas took a sip of his drink as he looked to Ben and then back to Sawyer, "I think he's a good guy." Lucas looked back to the two playing the video game and knew that was true. He still had concerns but it wasn't Sawyer who could settle his worries. He knew his daughter pretty well, it was Ben he'd have a chat with later.

Lucas started walking back over to watch the duel between big Ben and little Bennet while Sawyer stood at the bar thinking that she'd put everything off for nothing. It had been dumb to wait so long for her dad to meet Ben. Her dad liked him. Everyone liked him. He certainly had Bennet's approval and really, what more could you ask for?

There wasn't a whole lot Sawyer needed but Lucas still had lingering questions, so when Ben's bowling game ended he approached the twenty five year old. "Good game."

Ben laughed and put down the remote, "Yeah. He sure knows how to play."

Knowing that Ben had gone easy on the little boy so he could win, Lucas sat down on the couch. He looked over his shoulder and saw Sawyer laughing at something Brooke and Haley were talking about. "She's a handful."

Realizing that Lucas was talking about his girlfriend, Ben nodded, "I think I've got her figured out though. She'll press your buttons and you have to press back. Listen to her music but you don't have to like it. Never eat the last Pop-Tart and if she wants to drive..."

Lucas nodded and finished Ben's sentence, "Let her."

Smiling, Ben nodded, "She does love that car."

"I think I'm partially to blame for that." Lucas laughed and squinted, "Her mom and I have old cars. I think she grew up thinking she couldn't have anything but a classic."

"You've got a Mustang, right?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah."

"Sawyer was saying how she learned to drive in it."

Thinking back on Sawyer's younger years, Lucas laughed, "Those were some interesting times."

Ben laughed and figured as much, "I can only imagine what a sixteen year old Sawyer was like."

"You don't want to know." Lucas smiled and shook his head.

Glad that he could keep Lucas laughing, Ben changed it to a more serious note. He let their conversation die down and then he looked to the blue eyes that matched Sawyer's, "I know that Sawyer's been hurt in the past." He took a deep breath and shook his head, "But I'm not that guy. I'll never be that guy. So if you're worried about that, don't be. I really like spending time with her." Ben took off his cute Santa hat and nodded, "And I'd be an idiot to mess that up."

Lucas could tell by Ben's words and his actions that he was being sincere and honest. Simply nodding his head, Lucas appreciated what Sawyer's boyfriend had to say and felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Ben wasn't that guy. He could see it in him from the moment they'd met which gave Lucas further evidence that Lieutenant Jay Gee Trammell was someone Sawyer didn't only want, but someone she needed.

Walking over towards her two guys, Sawyer held out Ben's beer, "Sorry. I got distracted talking with Brooke and Haley."

Graciously taking his drink, Ben got up, "I should probably meet them. Introduce myself to everyone else." Ben nodded to Mr. Scott as he walked away and felt pretty comfortable about how talking with her dad had gone.

Peyton saw Sawyer and Ben walking away and she sat down on the couch next to her husband and smacked his thigh, "So?"

"I really like him, Peyt."

Nodding, Peyton watched Sawyer and Ben mingle with their family, "I know. I told you." She looked to her husband and smiled at the gray in his scruff. A couple years away from fifty but he still looked good to her. "He's what she needs."

Turning to look at his wife, Lucas laughed and shook his head.

"What?" Peyton arched her brow and her wrinkle along the top of her forehead was starting to deepen.

Shaking his head, Lucas sat back on the couch and put his arm around Peyton so she could lean into him, "I thought the same thing." Peyton looked up to him and he nodded.

While the older couple sat together thinking about the younger pair, Sawyer and Ben made their way through the house talking and eating. Brooke was almost as taken with Ben as she was with the baby. Haley loved talking about her famous turkey sandwiches and the heists that always ensued. Julian was telling Ben that he was thinking about shooting a commercial for the USCG recruitment video. When Sawyer told Ben that Jamie used to write obituaries he couldn't help but ask what the strangest one he'd had to write had been. It was something to do with Star Wars and how the deceased was now in a galaxy far, far away... Ben was getting along with everyone and Sawyer could help but feel like she'd picked a good guy. Hit a good guy, actually. The orange juice she'd thrown at him turned out to be the best thing that had happened to her in a long, long time.

When it was time to go Sawyer and Ben said their goodbyes and she grabbed her coat and Ben got his.

"Your place?" She slid her arms through the sleeves and looked at him while he checked his pockets for his keys.

"That's fine." He nodded and looked outside. "I'll meet you there."

Sawyer nodded and they both hurried to their cars. Neither of them wanted to be in the cold too long. When they got out of Nathan and Haley's driveway they drove toward Graham and Ben's apartment. When they got to a stoplight Ben pulled up next to Sawyer and revved his engine. She matched his actions and when the green light illuminated their faces in the winter night, Sawyer punched the gas. Ben took an immediate left and it was a race now.

"Dammit!" Sawyer thought she'd taken the fastest route but when she pulled into the parking lot and saw his tale lights aglow she shook her head. She wasn't going to hear the end of it. But if she had to lose to someone it might as well be him.

He watched her get out of her car and laughed when they walked toward the steps, "Did you get lost, O.J."

"Ha...aren't you _sooo_ funny?"

Nodding, Ben grinned, "I'm told that from time to time."

Sawyer rolled her eyes thinking of a way to make a comeback but she felt his hand wrap over hers as he led them up to the apartment.

When they got inside, Sawyer walked straight into his bedroom and flopped down on the bed. "Ugh, these heels..." She kicked them off and splayed out across the sheets.

Ben took off his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt, "Don't get too comfortable. You might fall asleep like that." She took up enough room as it was. If Sawyer stayed like that he'd have to sleep somewhere else.

She laughed and looked up to him as he changed into something more comfortable. A white t-shirt and flannel pants, Ben started for the bed and tried to push Sawyer over, "Move."

Shaking her head she closed her eyes, "Play me a song."

His guitar was sitting on its stand in the corner of his room and he looked at it. It made him nervous to play around her. In fact, he hadn't told her he played until she saw it in the living room a few months back. He'd been pretty good to hide it. Ben didn't want to think he was getting with her for recording privileges. And that wasn't the case at all. He wasn't even a good singer. His low voice wasn't cut out to sing. His fingers on the other hand, they could pick the Martin like she could buzz through traffic.

"What do you want me to play?"

"Anything."

He walked over and he picked up the worn out six string. His left hand went down the next close to the fifteenth fret and he started to play "Jingle Bell Rock".

Sawyer's eyes were still closed and she smiled, "Slow it down a little."

He knew she couldn't keep her mouth shut about ways to make it sound better, but he took her advice and played the song slow and steady. Pulling off and hammering on in just the right places and making it sound a little more bluesy than holiday pop, Ben played without effort.

"That's the jingle bell. That's the jingle bell. That's the jingle bell rock." He sang out the last lines and put his guitar back down.

"Encore!" Sawyer cracked open an eye and smiled at the guy at the foot of the bed.

Ben shook his head and reached in his t-shirt drawer and then grabbed his sweats from the Academy and chunked them at her.

"Omph." Sawyer laughed as she peeled the clothes off her face and slowly started to sit up an change.

He couldn't help but watch as she changed but he didn't want to stare because she might throw a backhand his way.

Changed and exhausted, Sawyer crawled on the bed closer to Ben and laid down with a loud sigh.

"I was thinking..." Ben propped himself up and rested his head in his hand and looked at Sawyer. "You wanna go to Memphis?"

Widening her eyes, Sawyer laughed, "Tomorrow?" It was a little short notice to be asking her to go for Christmas in the morning. He was getting up early to drive so he could make it home that night and Sawyer was spending the day at her parents.

He grinned and shook his head. "No, in a few weeks? I've got some time off and if you can get away for a few days we can go down there and you can get a little Tennessee in you, meet my dad."

"The famous Doc Trammell?" Sawyer smiled thinking about Ben's dad. He was a large animal veterinarian and the idea of an older man helping horses and cows was somehow endearing.

Nodding, Ben smiled, "If you want to. I'd like you to." He leaned his head against his pillow and wrapped his arm around her body.

"Yeah." She didn't need to think about it. There was nothing stopping her, "I'll do it. I'll go."

"Yeah?" He threw out the question because she might change her mind after he told her about which car they'd take. "The four-runner and eight hundred miles?"

Sawyer wasn't crazy about his car but she knew they'd argue like hell if they took hers. It was so small that 800 miles might drive one of them, probably both of them, crazy. "I'll survive." She leaned her head against the softness of the pillow and then moved her head closer to his shoulder. A smile started to creep across her face, "And by the way, you snore like a _dying_ whale."

"You take up _more_ room on this bed than a _whale_."

"Ugh." Sawyer turned to look at him and she shook her head, "I do not."

He laughed and nodded with his eyes still closed, "You do too, and you kick me all the time. I've got bruises on my shins to prove it."

"Well I put breathe right strips in your stocking."

Laughing louder, Ben pulled her closer, "Thanks, O.J."

"Merry Christmas." She nodded and smiled.

He caught her eye through the darkness and leaned down to kiss her, "Merry Christmas, Sawyer."

They both closed their eyes and silently fell asleep. Wrapped up in each other's warm embrace, Sawyer and Ben laid together for about thirty minutes until Sawyer started figiting like she always did and Ben responded with his loud snores. But it wasn't anything to complain about. It was how they were, how they slept, and how they worked. Those breathe right strips were more of a joke because Sawyer secretly loved the fact that he could lull her back to sleep with his deep breaths and he would say the same about her night time karate. Every time he got a foot to the shin or an elbow in the back it was just a friendly reminder that she was still there. They wouldn't have changed it. They wouldn't change any of it.

**OTHOTH**

The Tree Hill roads were dark as Ben drove toward Charlotte and Sawyer's house. The January morning was cold and Ben's 4-Runner was streaming white clouds of exhaust as he turned down their street. It was five o'clock in the morning but if they were going to make it to Memphis at a reasonable hour they needed to leave early. But getting there at a reasonable hour wasn't the only reason they were leaving so early. Ben was hoping that Sawyer might fall asleep in the car. That way he wouldn't have to listen to her complain all thirteen hours of their trip. Wishful thinking on his part.

His black SUV pulled along the curb and Ben left the car running so the heat would stay on. Charlotte opened the front door with a warm smile and a cup of coffee in her hand, "Morning."

"Hey." Ben smiled at Sawyer's cousin and walked into their house.

"She's grabbing her stuff." Charlotte tilted her head toward Sawyer's bedroom and took a sip of her warm drink. She hadn't planned on getting up that early but considering she wasn't like her best friend who could take off work whenever and since Charlotte wanted to see Sawyer off, the early rising wasn't that bad. Would Sawyer do the same if Graham was taking Charlotte somewhere? Probably not.

Sawyer slowly walked down the hall toward Charlotte and Ben rolling her suitcase behind her. "This is an ungodly hour of the day but if you really think it's necessary to leave this early then by all means, let's go."

Charlotte laughed and walked over to the kitchen to pick up the travel bag she'd made Sawyer. "Saw, before you go, here."

Turning around to look at her cousin, Sawyer took the bag of whatever it was Charlotte had thrown together, "Thanks Mom."

"Have fun." Charlotte laughed and then looked to her roommate and then to Ben. "Bye, Ben."

"We'll try." Ben nodded and grinned towards his girlfriend. There was no telling how this might go with Sawyer Scott in the passenger seat.

With the bag Charlotte had given her in one and and the handle of her suitcase in the other, Sawyer headed for the front door. "I'll call you later, Charlotte. Don't burn down the house while I'm gone."

Charlotte rolled her eyes and watched as Sawyer and Ben walked outside.

Ben reached for Sawyer's suitcase before she could protest and he put it in the back of the car while she walked to the passenger side. The back hatch shut and Sawyer felt the cool breeze sweep through the car when Ben opened his door. She wanted to yell at him to hurry and shut the door but she saw that he'd gotten her a twenty ounce Coke and she couldn't be mad. There was nothing better than caffeine in the morning. Especially so early. Coffee was good but she was so temperamental with what she liked in it that he couldn't have gone wrong with a Coca-Cola.

"Ready?" He looked at her as he got in the car and pulled his seat belt across his chest.

Sawyer nodded and leaned forward to start rummaging through her goodie bag but her seat belt was stuck. "Ugh" She tried to move forward again but she couldn't. She tugged on the strap but it wasn't moving. She looked to Ben and shook her head, "If I'm stuck like this the entire time this is not going to go well."

He started to and put the car in drive and looked over to her, "Try it now."

The seat belt eased some slack and Sawyer could move again. "Thank, God." Ben just laughed and watched her start to pull out the contents on the trip bag. Charlotte knew Sawyer well because there were two crossword puzzles with both a pen and a pencil. She loved using old school pencils but if she was feeling really confident, Sawyer could bust out the pen. The newest issues of _Rolling Stone_, _Cosmo_ and _Us Weekly_ were in there. A box of Sour Patch Kids and a few Butterfingers littered the bottom of the bag, and a silver wrapped rectangle caught Sawyer's eye. She pulled it out and immediately started to open it.

"Strawberry?" Ben watched her open the Pop-Tart wrapper and laughed.

Smelling the delicious, no contest, hands down best breakfast food ever, Sawyer shook her head, "Cinnamon." She pulled out the first Pop-Tart and broke off all the crust. She had to save the best part for last. "You want this one?" Sawyer held out the second one with a raised brow.

Ben matched her raised brow and laughed, "Is something wrong with it?"

She smiled and shook her head, "No. I'm offering. But I might change my mind if..."

Grabbing the food out of her hand, Ben took his share and bit into it without thinking too much about it. Sawyer wanted to tell him that he was crazy for not saving the crust but she kept her opinion to herself. They had a long drive ahead of them. She'd try to keep her complaints to a minimum.

"I figured we could stop and get some breakfast." Ben took a bite of his Pop-Tart and smiled, "A r_eal_ breakfast when we get on the road. Cracker Barrel and Waffle House are about at every exit."

Sawyer nodded and she watched him turn towards US-76. It was going to be a long day but a memorable one. Sawyer wouldn't fall asleep like Ben had hoped but they would stop at the Waffle House in Wadesboro. Multiple crossword puzzles later and an argument about the music, and they were across the Tennessee line pulling into a fast food place ready for lunch.

"What do you want?" Ben looked to his right and wondered what Sawyer wanted.

"A burger with no tomatoes and extra pickles. No mustard but ketchup and mayonnaise."

She'd said it so fast that it all kind of blurred together and Ben thought he had it right. "What about cheese and fries?"

"Well yeah." Sawyer looked at him like that was a dumb question. A side of french fries and cheese on her burger were no-brainers.

"Alright." Ben pulled up to the speaker and waited for someone to acknowledge their presence before he started talking. When an employee told him to begin Ben leaned out the window, "Yeah, can I get one number one with a coke, and then another number one with a coke but no mayonnaise, extra tomatoes, no pickles, mustard, ketchup..."

Sawyer was listening to Ben butcher her order and she undid her seat belt and leaned over him. She was gonna take the reins if he couldn't get it right. "I'm sorry, can we start this over?" She looked at Ben before she spoke back to the speaker. "One number one with a Coke. Every thing on that burger. Another number one with a Coke and no tomatoes, extra pickles, no mustard."

Ben was leaning back in his chair shaking his head. Of course Sawyer had to lean over him and fix their order.

"Is that all for you?" The fast food restaurant employee's voice crackled out of the speaker and Sawyer nodded.

"Yep, that's it."

The woman told them to drive to the first window and gave them their total but neither Sawyer nor Ben were paying attention. Sawyer had stuck her head back in the car and was looking at the face inches away from hers. "You were doing it wrong. I had to fix it."

Ben started to laugh and only shook his head.

"What? I didn't want _extra_ tomatoes or mustard. No thanks." He was still smiling and it was starting to bother Sawyer, "What! Stop looking at me like that. You're creeping me out."

"You're something else, O.J., you know that?" Ben laughed at her and knew instead of being mad at her for crawling over him to fix her order, he actually liked it. Who wouldn't? That body up in his face and her attitude was sexy even if it got on his nerves from time to time.

"Yeah, well..." Sawyer started to smile and before she got back in her seat she leaned toward his face and kissed him. Leaving him wanting more, Sawyer slid back to her seat and looked out her widow with red cheeks. She wasn't the something else, it was Ben.

They got their food and headed back to I-40. With just under six hours to go, Sawyer and Ben headed toward Memphis. "There's a CD case behind you, will you get it for me?"

Tossing a few fries in her mouth, Sawyer reached behind her chair and felt the case he was talking about. She pulled it around the chair and held it out to him without looking, "Here."

"You can't be in Tennessee headed toward the home of the blues without listening to this." Ben put in the CD and turned up the volume, "I could listen to this until we get there."

Laughing because nobody in their right mind would listen to one song for that long on repeat, Sawyer shook her head, "Nobody can do that."

"I can." Ben took a bite of his burger and nodded as the piano started and then both Marc Cohn and Ben's voices echoed trough the car. "Put on my blue suede shoes and I boarded the plane. Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues in the middle of the pouring rain." Sawyer watched him tap his fingers on the steering wheel and sing the rest of the verse before the chorus started. When the chorus began he got louder and his grin was even bigger, "Walking in Memphis! Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale. Walking in Memphis. Do I really the feel the way I feel!"

Laughing at him, Sawyer took another bite of her lunch and watched Ben get into the song as they drove toward the place he was singing about. Sawyer couldn't help but wonder if he would take her to the Hollywood and if it was even a real place. She knew Graceland was although she'd never been. "Are you gonna take me to Beale Street? Show me around a little?"

Ben nodded, "If we have time." He knew that three full days wasn't going to be long. There were about a million things he could show her but his home was the first on the list, and that was a place worth more to him than the others.

When the next song started to play Ben hit the back button and Sawyer rolled her eyes. Was he serious about his crazy idea?

He was, because after the fifteenth play they'd already traveled another hour down the road. "Ben, come on. Change the song please."

"It'll be just a little bit longer, Sawyer. We'll see if you can handle it."

She could tell by his tone that he wasn't going to give in. But a little bit longer and five hours away were not the same thing. She rolled her eyes and pulled out her crossword book, "Hmm, a three letter word for immature, ridiculous, and annoying."

Ben laughed out loud, "Y. O. U."

She scowled and shook her head, "Starts with a B. I'm pretty sure that the next letters are E and N." Sawyer acted like she wrote the letters and nodded, "Yep, Ben, it fits." She tucked her pencil in her book and sighed as she finished eating her lunch. Once she was done she picked up that crossword puzzle and tried to tone out Ben and that damn song. They were probably up to play number twenty. Sawyer filled in the space for semi convertible auto roof and then read the next clue out loud, "Often disassembled cookie?"

Ben looked at Sawyer, "Oreo."

Sawyer scribbled in Oreo and laughed at herself because she couldn't get that one without his help. "Surnames of two presidents?"

"What's it start with?

Sawyer looked at the empty box and shrugged, "I don't know. There's an M in it."

"Adams." Ben knew that the other presidents with matching names didn't have Ms. He looked over to her as she tried the word out. "Did it fit?"

"Yeah." She filled in three other words since she got Adams and heard him start over the song. She laughed and shook her head as she continued to work on the puzzle. "Good hearted brat." Sawyer looked over to Ben and shook her head, "And don't say me."

He looked at her with a smile, "I wasn't."

"It's fifteen letters."

Running the number through his head he laughed. "But actually...S. A. W. Y. E. R. B. R. O. O. K. E. S..."

"That's not fifteen letters, Ben" She cut her eyes at him and ran her looked over the puzzle. "Dennis the Menace?" She knew it fit since the letter matched up.

Ben nodded, "I remember watching those cartoon movies when I was little." He laughed and shook his head, "My dad would come in and tell me not to get any ideas. I was a handful since he was on his own."

Sawyer knew that Ben's mom was out of the picture. His parents were divorced but that's all she knew. Ben didn't talk about it and Sawyer didn't really ask. She'd tried to ask Graham once but he'd told Sawyer that she left when Ben was young. He didn't know much other than that so Sawyer still had questions. She figured it was a sore subject so she avoided asking him which was fine because Ben could talk about it when he was ready. It just so happened that he ready was now.

"She just left you know, my mom? I came home from school and she was gone." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Thinking about it still left a little bit of a biter taste in his mouth. "Dad came out of the bedroom with swollen eyes and I knew something was wrong. I'd never seen him cry before. He was pretty blindsided. I mean my dad loved my mom. I think a part of him still does. He always will, but she'd left him a note, told him that she wasn't happy, that he could do right by me." Ben took a deep breath, "Didn't take me long to find out she'd been seeing another guy, wound up pregnant, and had herself a new little family. Acted like my dad and I never existed." Ben pressed the back button so the song would play again, "And she only moved a few towns away. I've seen her four times since she left. Four times and she's _never _recognized me."

Sawyer wanted to cry. She knew she had a bad habit about complaining about unimportant shit and listening to Ben talk about his bitch of a mom made Sawyer hate the fact that she cared so much about the little things when it was the big things that were important. She'd been lucky to have both of her parents around. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like if her mom had walked away, and it made Sawyer hate the woman even if they had never met. If she ever got the chance to see Ben's mom in person she knew that she would have some choice words for a lady who gave up on a man who meant more to her than music and Pop-Tarts. Ben was kind and smart, funny, and somebody people could look up to. If she wanted kids, if she had kids, she'd want them to carry themselves like he did. He was strong and confident. Things that most people couldn't get a handle on when they were in their fifties, much less their twenties. "How old were you when she left?"

"Ten." He looked over to Sawyer and saw that she was genuinely moved by what he'd been saying. "She'd married my dad young, they had me a year after that and I guess she felt stuck. They were trying for another baby for a while but it wasn't working. Nothing was working. When she saw an out she took it and never looked back." Ben kept his eyes on the road and knew that he'd just divulged a lot about himself and his past but he wanted Sawyer to know.

"Ben..." Sawyer put her hand on his arm and looked at him with sad eyes, "I'm sorry she did that. Leave you like that." Shaking her head, Sawyer narrowed her eyes,"What a..._bitch_."

Of course Sawyer had to throw a bit of herself into her sincerity. Ben smiled and looked over to her.

She nodded at him, "You deserved better than that."

He shook his head because even with all the crap he had to deal with as a kid it helped him get where he was today. "I made it out alright." Ben's blue eyes met Sawyer's and he took a deep breath, "My dad. My grandparents. Graham and his family. You..." He nodded and looked back to the rolling blacktop, "I don't know if I'd change it." He shrugged, "People make mistakes and sometimes it turns out to be the best thing for everyone around them. My Dad's happy. I'm happy. I don't know if my mom's happy but...I like to think she's doing okay. I hated her for a while but what's the point, you know? It's not going to fix things, so I learned to get over it. My Dad and I did pretty good together."

Sawyer knew that Ben had accomplished a lot in his twenty six years. He was doing great things with the Coast Guard, everybody liked him, and he had a spirit that most people wished they could find. Sawyer looked over to him with a raised brow. Using his words, Sawyer nodded, "You did do good, Ben Trammell. You did real good." She patted his arm and ran her hand over his skin.

There was something in her touch that made Ben feel better. He looked over to her and smiled before he turned his attention back to the road.

Sawyer found herself humming the words to "Walking in Memphis" and her heart was in rhythm with the piano. There was certainly something to be said for the Coastie on her left. She wasn't one to get excited about meeting parents but meeting the man who'd raised Ben was someone she was eager to meet. Mr. Trammell was someone Sawyer already knew she admired. And she knew that his dad was important to him and Ben was important to her. At this point it didn't matter if she listened to that dumb song until they pulled up to the house, Sawyer wanted this trip to go well because her heart was telling her she'd fallen for him.

**OTHOTH**

They'd finished one whole crossword puzzle book together and when Ben turned off the main highway Sawyer saw green in every direction. Pastures and fields for miles. They weren't in the heart of the city but about thirty minutes north of Memphis. Old wooden fences ran along property lines and Sawyer got lost in the serenity of the countryside. She was used to the beach and the Cape Fear. The Mississippi River was close and downtown Memphis probably had it's own little Riverwalk but she enjoyed the new horizon.

Ben pulled off the main road and stopped his car by a mailbox. He checked it just in case it had come since his dad last checked.

Sawyer looked around and realized that same fencing she'd seen for the last few miles matched that of the gate. She couldn't help but wondered just how much land his dad had.

"Hold on to that, will you?" Ben handed her the mail and pulled down the driveway. There was a cloud of dust that flew up behind them and Sawyer found herself smiling as she watched through the side-view mirror. Sprawling oaks lined the straight road and about two hundreds yards into their drive Sawyer saw the white house. It wasn't anything big and beautiful, but quaint. A fixer-upper that undoubtedly Mr. Trammell and Ben worked on themselves. And it was a nice sight because Sawyer always did have an affinity for things past their prime.

"Doesn't look like Dad's here. He must have had a call." Ben pulled up in front of the porch and opened up the driver side door. There were crickets buzzing all around and Sawyer was quickly loving this Tennessee place. It was strange but also so familiar.

With the mail in her hands, Sawyer got out of the car and looked around. With the time change, they'd gotten there just as the sun was going down. The soft blues were turning indigo and Sawyer was sure she'd never seen anything more beautiful. Looking to her left, off in the distance Sawyer saw rows of trees and there was something majestic in their calm tranquility. The wind blew through there branches and they swayed in the cold January air. They looked like they were dancing.

"It's really great out here, Ben."

He'd walked around to the back and got their bags, "Wait till you see it tomorrow. If you're up at sunrise you'll think this is nothing." Nodding at her as he walked by, Ben went towards the side door and opened it up. His dad knew they were coming and left it unlocked. "Come on O.J. It's getting cold." Smiling at her he tilted his head inside.

Sawyer quickly walked behind him inside the house, "You want me to put these here?" She looked at the kitchen table and then held out the mail.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'm gonna take these up." Ben lifted his shoulders talking about their bags and he headed for the steps with Sawyer following close behind.

Everything around them was everything she thought it would be. The couch looked weathered with age, the hardwoods were all scuffed up, the stairs creaked and the stone fireplace looked like it had been used more than anything in the entire house. But that's just the few observations Sawyer made as she walked toward the steps.

When he'd gotten to the top, Ben took a right and went up another two steps. He had to duck a little because the ceiling hung low in that part of the the house but when he opened up his bedroom door he could stand upright. The ceilings were tall and slanted, the paint was dark blue and the queen sized bed had a faded blue comforter.

Sawyer walked through the doorway and saw that he still had a posters up from his adolescence; a panoramic shot of Turner Field and a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition pull out poster of whoever graced September. "Nice picture."

He looked up and laughed, "I should probably take that down. There's no telling what that girl looks like now." He laughed again and shook his head, "Most of this stuff has been up since high school. I've never really gotten in here to go through it all."

She walked over to his bedside table and picked up a little matchbox car, "High school?"

Ben grinned, "Or maybe elementary school. I don't know."

"Come here." He walked by her and took her hand and led her to the bathroom. "These pipes are ancient. Give the hot water about three minutes to get warm. Hold this down..." Ben flushed the toilet and heard the sound he was waiting for, "And let go when you hear that." He looked over to the slim door next to the shower, "The towels are in there, extra soap and stuff."

When he said soap Sawyer wondered if it was the same kind he used in North Carolina. He always smelled so good but it wasn't cologne, it was simple bar soap that she couldn't get enough of.

Ben pulled Sawyer back into his bedroom and opened up the second drawer of his dresser, "You can put you clothes in here if you want." He looked to her with a smile, "You'll probably just pull from your suitcase though. You're not gonna want to unpack it and fold it again."

She walked close to him and nodded, "You know me well."

He smiled at her and rested his hand around her waist, "I'll take the right side and you can take the left."

Knowing that's how they slept normally, Sawyer nodded, "I'll try not to kick you and maybe you can tone down your snoring?"

"No promises." He grinned and shook his head.

"Me either." Sawyer smiled and rose up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Ben felt a little like he was back in high school with a girl up in his room. But Sawyer wasn't like the girls in high school. She could be caddy but she was more than attitude and looks. Sawyer was a fun person to be around and she cared a lot about the people around her more than she led on. And from what he could tell, Ben was one of them. "I'm glad you're here." Sawyer nodded and felt him kiss her. They both heard the faint buzz of a radio and tires coming down the driveway. The night had turned dark almost instantly and two headlights bounced their way closer to the house. "Looks like Dad's back."

Suddenly Sawyer got nervous again because she remembered that she had to meet Ben's dad. She was in his house but had yet to meet the man.

Ben could see the nerves Sawyer was trying to hide and placed a sweet kiss on her forehead as they heard the the car door open and shut, "He's gonna like you." Ben walked away from Sawyer and to the stairs. Sawyer took a deep breath before she followed him down the steps. Mr. Trammell was washing his hands with his back to the two twenty somethings and Ben grinned as he walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Dad."

Reaching for the towel hanging above the sink, Mr. Trammel dried his hands as he turned around. He had Ben's grin and his build. Mr. Trammell was about an inch or two shorter but essentially an older version of his son. He nodded at his son and then looked at the girl behind him. "You must be Sawyer?"

Nodding, Sawyer smiled, "Yes, sir. It's nice to meet you Mr. Trammell, uh Doctor Trammell, sorry." Sawyer wanted to smack herself for forgetting that he was a doctor.

"Oh call me Russ. Mr. Trammell's for the postman and Doctor Trammell's for my clients." He shook his head and then laughed, "And speaking of clients. Sorry I wasn't here when you two showed up. Rigby had her fawn a little while ago."

"Rigby? Is that the horse's name?"

Russ nodded, "Eleanor Rigby, but they call her Rigby."

"Like the Beatles song?"

"Yep. The owners have Penny Lane, Sadie, and Lucy..."

"Prudence and Maxwell." Ben named off the other horses' names. "The Donnoley's named all their horses after Beatles songs."

Impressed, Sawyer smiled, "I think I'd like those Donnoley people." She laughed and looked to Ben's Dad, "What did they name the new one? Jude?"

"As a matter of fact they did." Mr. Trammell nodded, "Lucky guess or was that the music producer in you giving way?"

"Probably a little bit of both." Sawyer smiled and looked at Ben. Apparently he'd told his dad a little about her.

Mr. Trammell walked toward the refrigerator and looked back to the young adults, "So how's catfish sound for dinner? I figure I'll start cooking now and we'll eat in about thirty minutes."

"You need any help, Dad?"

Walking over to the counter and putting down the fresh fish, Mr. Trammell shook his head, "Nah, you two make yourselves at home. I've got everything covered in here. Show Sawyer around the house, Ben."

Laughing at his dad, Ben walked toward the den and held out his hands, "We watch TV in here."

Sawyer couldn't help but smirk at him, "You make an awesome tour guide."

Shrugging, Ben walked to the old mail hutch that was a converted piece of furniture and opened up the small drawer on the right side. "My prized possession is in here."

"Yeah?"

Ben nodded and held out a dirty baseball. "A foul ball I caught, well my dad caught, when we went to see the Braves play a while back. I got it signed by Brian McCann."

"And he is...?" Sawyer furrowed her brow because she wasn't a up to date or knowledgeable about baseball players. Her family was basketball through and through.

"Oh, come on O.J. He's one of the best catchers who ever played."

Understanding the meaning, Sawyer nodded, "You played catcher in high school, didn't you?"

Nodding, Ben smiled. "And you'll get to see me in action at the charity baseball came that's coming up. You'll get to play too, if you want."

"Oh I'm gonna play. I wouldn't say no to being in a group of Coasties." She laughed and arched her brow. "Most of them have already seen me shirtless so if it's hot enough maybe they'll take off their shirts."

Rolling his eyes, Ben tucked the ball back in the drawer and looked outside to the back porch, "Go get your jacket."

"Now? Where are we going?"

"Nowhere, but I'll meet you out there."

Sawyer didn't really know what Ben was wanting to do outside but she went up to grab her jacket. She hustled up the steps and when Sawyer walked back down them she couldn't help but hear the old radio in the kitchen playing an old Johnny Cash song. Mr. Trammell had tried a apron around his waist and was cutting the catfish in fillets. Sawyer found herself staring and realized that Ben would probably be doing the same thing in twenty years.

She heard the screen door shut and Sawyer turned toward the porch and walked that way. Ben was sitting in a rocking chair and the small lights that lit up the porch shed just enough light for Sawyer to see that he was holding out a large bag of something.

"Appetizer?"

Sawyer took a seat next to him and squinted, "What is it?"

Ben blew a shell out of his mouth, "Sunflower seeds." Another shell flew out of his mouth and he laughed, "I didn't think it would be good to spit the shells inside."

Sawyer dug her hand in the bag and looked at the little seeds, "I'm supposed to put all of these in my mouth?" She'd never eaten sunflower seeds in her life. How was she supposed to know what to do.

"Crack 'em with your teeth and then spit out the shell. You'll get the hang of it."

She'd never noticed his southern accent before but maybe it was the Tennessee air that had brought it back? Whatever it was, Sawyer noticed his drawl and kind of liked it. She bit into a seed and it took a while to distinguish what part of the thing she was supposed to eat, but she figured it out and spit the shell. "How's that?"

Ben spit his latest shell clear across the porch and laughed, "You could work on your form a little."

"I don't imagine that's something that can be taught or learned, huh?" Sawyer tried to spit out the shell but it fell at her feet.

He shook his head, "Not really? By the time summer rolls around I'll get you down here and you'll be an old pro."

Sawyer liked the sound of that. Not only coming back down here but the fact that Ben automatically assumed they'd still be together. If Sawyer had her way, she'd be coming back down here for a long time.

"Alright you two. Stop your spitting. Dinner's ready." Mr. Trammel was leaning on the door frame and smiled at his son and Sawyer.

The three adults went into the kitchen and had a meal Sawyer couldn't tell was homemade or out of a can. She knew that Mr. Trammell was a busy guy but there was no way the green beans she was eating came out of can. "Russ did you make these yourself?" She pointed at the greens with her fork.

After taking a bite of his fish, Mr. Trammell shook his head, "I cheat most of the time. Those came straight from a can. I added a little bit of salt and pepper."

"They're great."

"Thank Del Monte, not me."

"Everything's good, Dad. Thanks." Ben looked to his father and nodded.

"I'm glad y'all like it. I bet after driving for so long you two were probably craving something other than fast food." Mr. Trammel scooped up some of his corn and looked at the two kids at the table. "How was the drive, anyway? I forgot to ask."

Sawyer wiped her mouth and hid her smile behind her napkin.

"Sawyer got acquainted with 'Walking in Memphis'".

"Just a _little_ bit." Sawyer laughed and took a deep breath.

"You know I'd play that song on the guitar for him when he was little. It was about the only one I could play all the way though."

Sawyer smiled at Ben's dad, "You play too?"

Ben saw that his dad was mid chew so he answered for him. "He taught me everything I know."

"Hardly." Mr. Trammell laughed and shook his head, "He had me beat after the first week. He's a natural. Maybe we'll play after dinner. We'll have to tune your ole' boy up but I think he still works."

"I think I'd like that." Sawyer cut into a piece of her fish and looked across the table at Ben.

After dinner their conversation started to come to an end, Mr. Trammell wasn't one for backing down on something he said he'd do so he headed towards the den ready to play a few tunes. Ben offered to do the dishes and Sawyer even offered to help him but he shook off her help and she and his father walked into the den.

"Can you tune a guitar, Sawyer?"

"If you've got a tuner I think I can handle it." She had music in her blood but she couldn't do it by ear. Mr. Trammell tossed her the tuner while he got Ben's old guitar out of it's case and handed it to her.

"What do you say, Ben? A little Allman Brothers?" Russ looked at his son and started to play the first chords of "Ramblin' Man".

Nodding, Ben walked over to Sawyer and she held out his guitar, "I tuned it for you."

"Thanks." He smiled at her and took a seat. His fingers went well down the neck of the guitar and he started to pick the lead.

Sawyer had always loved it when Ben played for her but it was even better watching him and his dad play. And it was an even better surprise to hear Mr. Trammell start to sing. He wasn't shy about it and was having some genuine fun. One of the first solos came up and Ben's fingers slid across the frets with ease and Sawyer was melting in her chair. She'd always had a thing for musicians but Ben wasn't like the musicians she went for. He was the kind who'd surprise you with his talent and only played for fun. He wasn't interested in anything but having a good time and Sawyer really liked that about him. He sounded good too.

When the song was over Mr. Trammell grinned over to Sawyer with the twelve year old smile that he'd given his son, "How 'bout it, Sawyer? Think I can quit my day job?"

She knew he was kidding but played along, "Russ, I'd love to get you in Red Bedroom Records. Give all those young kids a run for their money."

"Now I like the sound of that." He flashed Sawyer a smile and started playing the rhythm of his and Ben's next song.

The Trammell men played a few more and the last one was soft and slow. A lullaby of sorts because Sawyer's eyes were starting to feel heavy.

Ben strummed over his open chords as the song ended and saw that Sawyer was about to fall asleep if she wasn't already. She was leaning into one side of the couch and her eyes were closed. "I should probably get her." He looked at his father and smiled as he rested his guitar next to the chair he was closest to. Ben got up and walked over to the couch and leaned his cheek close to her ear, "Sawyer?"

"Huh? I'm awake." Her eyes were closed but she wasn't moving.

He laughed, "Let's get you upstairs. It's been a long day."

She started to say something but whatever phrase came out of her mouth was unrecognizable.

"Sawyer." Ben leaned down again and brushed his cheek against hers, "It'll take two seconds, come on. You'll thank me in the morning." He knew that the couch looked comfortable but her back was going to be in knots if she slept there all night.

Sighing heavily, Sawyer cracked open one eye and furrowed her brow, "Help me up."

Ben took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"See you in the morning, Sawyer. Had a good time playin' for ya."

"Night Mr. Doctor Russ."

Laughing as he walked her up the steps, Ben smiled and shook his head. He was starting to feel a little loopy too. Thirteen hours in the car, a full belly and a bed calling him name had him forgetting what she was supposed to call his dad, too.

When they got into the bedroom Sawyer quickly threw on something to sleep in and curled up in the covers. She couldn't help but noticed how they smelled like him. Obviously it would smell a little like him, it was his bed but even after all this time he was still in there.

"I'll be back up here in a little while."

Sawyer nodded and Ben walked downstairs to see if his dad needed help putting anything up. "What can I help you with, Dad?"

Mr. Trammell saw his son come back down stairs as he put the two guitars in their cases. "I think I'm good. You can turn off a few of those lights though."

Ben did as he was asked and when the room was dimly lit by a single lamp, Mr. Trammell rested both of the guitars against the fireplace, "Sawyer sure is a spitfire, isn't she?"

Smiling, Ben nodded, "Keeps me on my toes."

"Seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders, too."

Nodding again, Ben agreed with his father, "I really like her."

"Oh, I know you do. You don't bring just anyone home." Mr. Trammell had a very good idea that his son more than liked the girl asleep upstairs. As he walked past his son toward his room, Mr. Trammell patted Bent's shoulder, "Gotta keep the good ones close. Don't let 'em get away."

Ben heard exactly what his father was saying and made his way back to his bedroom. He changed as quick as Sawyer had and slid into bed next to his girlfriend. Pulling her close, Ben felt himself start to doze off and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. They were both so exhausted from their trip that the trains that blew their whistles hadn't caused either of them to stir. It wasn't until the morning that they both started to wake up.

He was up first. The daylight was still dark and the sun hadn't made it's grand appearance yet. Sunrise was about twenty minutes away. Ben's eyes adjusted in his dark room and he looked down at the girl beside him. She was sound asleep and her hair was loose around her face. She looked beautiful and Ben could have stared for hours, but he didn't. Instead, he leaned down to the side of her cheek and kissed her softly. "I love you."

Sawyer didn't move and Ben knew she hadn't heard him so he wasn't expecting a response. Slowly getting out of bed, Ben stretched and made his way downstairs. As soon as the stairs creaked Sawyer opened her eyes and moved her hand to her cheek. She could still feel him there and his words were still running in her head. He loved her. She rolled over flat on her back to mull it over and found herself smiling like a school girl. It wasn't unexpected because if she was honest with herself she knew she'd loved him for a while now. It made sense for him to feel the same way. She'd hoped he'd felt the same way. Turns out he did. Now all she had to do was tell him.

She heard a car start and she hurried to get out of bed to see who was leaving. Mr. Trammell's pick up was driving down the driveway and Sawyer took a deep breath. Ben was alone downstairs and she needed to go talk to him.

Smoothing down her bedhead, Sawyer took a few deep breaths and started for the steps. She'd never felt like this in her life. Not with the boys in high school, not with Dillion, not with the guys after him. Ben was an exception. There were just a couple guys she thought she'd loved but they hadn't made her heart jump into her throat or make her pulse race like an Olympic athlete. That was all Ben. That was only Ben.

Her feet bounded down the stairs and she walked into the kitchen because she heard the sink, but to her surprise it wasn't Ben standing there, it was his dad.

"Morning, Sawyer. You just missed Ben. He went to the store to pick me up a few things and then started rambling on about O.J." He walked over to the fridge and opened it, "But I don't know why he was going on about that stuff. We've got plenty."

"Oh." There was a fire in her cheeks because whatever Ben had been talking about was referring to her, not the drink.

Mr. Trammell looked to the skillet on the stove, "You a steak and eggs girl?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Sawyer smiled, "I'm not sure. I've never had it."

"Never had it? Looks like I'm about to introduce you to your new favorite meal. It's one of Ben's favorites."

Sawyer got herself a glass or orange juice and looked out the kitchen window, "I've liked everything about this place. I think steak and eggs will sit just fine."

"That's my girl. Taking a chance of some southern hospitality no questions asked." Mr. Trammell poured himself a cup of coffee and drank straight from the cup without adding cream or sugar, just like Ben. He looked at his watch and pointed out the window. He stepped next to Sawyer, "In about five minutes time ducks are gonna fly by. Just as the sun comes up you'll see 'em glide over the pasture."

Sawyer looked out toward the grassland and the morning dew gave the field a soft glimmer. She wouldn't normally be up so early but considering Tennessee was an hour behind, it didn't seem like it was just past seven o'clock. She looked over to the man by her side and smiled, "Thank you for having me here, Russ."

"Thanks for coming." He smiled at her and really wanted to thank her for going out with his son because he could see how happy Ben was but he didn't want to scare the poor girl away. That may have been too soon. "Oh, they're early today..." Mr. Trammell pointed and both his and Sawyer's eyes followed the birds in flight. "Something else, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir." Sawyer watched as the birds flew over the trees and she was in awe of their effortless movement. Why couldn't people fly?

"There's a pond just over that line of pecan trees. They'll land over there because the water's warm. I think there must be a hot spring out there, but I never can find it. Just a natural warm water pond, I suppose." He took another sip of his coffee and shrugged, "When Ben was little we'd get a remote controlled boat and drive it over to the ducks. They didn't appreciate it very much but you shoulda heard him laugh. Ben was a silly little kid."

Sawyer smiled because Ben was still like that. A man who hadn't grown out of his phase of imagination and fun, and for some reason it really clicked with Sawyer. Helped balance her out.

A car door shut and Mr. Trammell looked toward the front of the house, "He must be back. The store's just down the road that way."

"I didn't know if you wanted a dozen or not so I went ahead and got you twelve." Ben was holding out a carton of eggs and another bag was in his hands. He made it into the kitchen and slowed his pace when he realized Sawyer was up, "Hey."

"Hey."

Mr. Trammell started pull out the steak so he could start cooking and Ben took out the blue box. "I didn't know if you like steak and eggs." He looked at the Pop-Tart box and shrugged, "They only had blueberry."

Sawyer felt her chest start to pound as her heart did a gymnastics routine under her skin. "Thanks." Eyeing her jacket that was hanging around one of the kitchen chairs she tilted her head toward the back porch, "Meet me out there." She walked over to him and grabbed the box of Pop-Tarts and her coat. She was gonna eat the steak and eggs but that didn't mean she couldn't have a morning appetizer.

Outside, Sawyer took a seat on the porch swing and started to open up the box while Ben made his way over to her. He sat down and the swing started to glide back and forth. Sawyer opened up one of the breakfast bars and bit into as she leaned into his shoulder.

"I saw the ducks this morning. They were flying over the pasture." Ben looked out over the fields and nodded. He was about to say something but Sawyer started first. "I heard you this morning."

He looked at her and he raised his brows, "You did?"

She nodded with a smile and leaned up to kiss him, "And I love you too." It came out so fast that she surprised herself but it was sweet. That childish grin started to spread across his cheeks and she nodded, "I don't know what you've done or how you've done it, but I love you. And I love this..." Sawyer looked out across the still landscape and then back up to him, "I love us."

"Even if I snore?"

"I _love_ that you snore." Sawyer laughed and nodded, "And you like that I kick you, don't you."

Ben nodded and leaned toward her, "I love you."

Sawyer started to laugh and thought it was a little crazy that she was so utterly captivated by the man child in front of her but she loved it. She loved him. "I love you too."

They were only on day two of their trip and things were going great. Not only did Sawyer get a chance to meet Ben's dad but she learned of something even better. It wasn't that she liked catfish more than she thought or that he so adorably got her Pop-Tarts just in case. Ben Trammell loved her and she loved him. It wasn't rocket science and it was pretty simple. He was the guy for her and she was the girl for him.

**OTHOTH**

**So that was by far the longest chapter I've ever written. I hope you guys stayed interested. I threw in some new characters and gave a little bit of back story for Ben. Y'all like his dad? I think Sawyer likes him. Biggest part of the chapter besides meeting the dads were the ILYs. I think we all knew they were headed in that direction. Next chapter I'll pick in a couple months time and take off from there. **

**My reviewers continue to wow and amaze me. Thank you so much for all the support guys. My reviewers, the people who favorite/alert the story. You all rock!**

**Laura****: I'm glad you're starting to see a little bit of Lucas in Sawyer. Having the story connect with Charlotte's is a big part of how this story works so I'm glad you took note of that. I'm also glad you liked the names of Lucas' other books. There was a little Sawyer and Brooke in this chapter so I hope you enjoyed that. They will have more scenes to come as the story continues.**

**BDavis****: I think a lot of people are like you and want them to end up together. LOL, a competition for the best LM couple, haha. I have a pretty good idea which couples would place where. It's so great to hear that you like how I've done Leyton in the story especially since your not a Leyton fanfic reader. Hope you liked the new update!**

**2old4oth****: Ha, you're right. Sawyer doesn't have any filters. Although I do think she was a little more aware of her surroundings when she was around Ben's dad. Glad to know you like reading grown up Lucas and Peyton. Sometimes it's fun writing the core five "old". Sawyer and Ben still have a long road a head of them so you'll be seeing more fun and romantic stuff.**

**Joan****: I'm so glad you liked LP in last chapter. You were right. Sawyer and Ben were going to fall in love if they hadn't already. And you're on to something about your questions. ;) I won't answer now but there is a lot more to tell.**

_**Please Review**_


	5. The Other Side of Summer

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 5: The Other Side of Summer**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer's not my character. I will take a little credit for her personality, though.**

**A/N: You guys know how to keep me excited about this story! Thanks so much for the continued support, y'all. It is mind boggling how much feedback I'm getting, so thank you. Obviously it's paying off with the quick update. This new chapter will skip ahead about six months from where the last one left off so I can get up to speed with the other stories. Look out for mentions about what month it is within the section and flashback to avoid confusion. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

It was July now. July 3rd, a Saturday and Sawyer was doing what she knew best; she was sleeping. It didn't matter that it was almost noon. She'd had a busy week and if she wanted to spend the day in bed she could. It would have been more fun if Ben was with her but he was working...on a Saturday. How unfortunate. Apparently the Coast Guard needed Coasties on the weekend. Sucked for him, and it sucked for her.

Wrapped up in her comforter and slowly realizing that she was going to stick to her bed if she didn't get up, Sawyer started to peel off her covers. As her sheets were kicked toward the end of the bed, Sawyer heard somebody in the house and she opened her eyes bright and full. She knew it couldn't have been Charlotte because she was with Graham. They were up in the Outer Banks celebrating the Fourth with his family. Sawyer was supposed to be home _alone_.

"Who the hell?" She heard the intruder walking further into the house and she jumped out of bed eyeing the baseball bat leaning against the wall. It had been there for a while now. Ever since the USCG charity baseball game and as she clutched the wooden weapon, Sawyer took a deep breath. The blonde was actually thankful that Ben left his shit around.

She had a bad habit about not locking doors but she was about to turn on 'Bitch, don't mess with me' mode and give this stranger an ass kicking. A beat down with a Louisville Slugger. Or no, Sawyer read the name along the bat and realized it was an Easton. She'd be giving an Easton, aluminum, top of the notch, hit you out of the park beat down.

Her socks slid across the hardwood as she walked to her door and when she felt something wet soak through her left sock she stopped and huffed, "Dammit, Trout!"

The golden retriever she'd had for four months slowly walked around from the other side of the bed. His cute face was keeping Sawyer from yelling anymore than she had because he was too adorable looking to get mad at. It was what had grabbed her the first time she saw him. Well, that and the fact that he was a puppy version of her boyfriend.

_The front door opened and the March breeze blew through the house as Sawyer walked into the two bedroom house. She noticed that Charlotte was still home and arched her brow, "I thought you'd be gone by now? Aren't you supposed to bring the fur ball home today?" The fur ball Sawyer was talking about was a puppy Charlotte was giving Graham. After a little bit of convincing, Charlotte had swayed Sawyer's thinking in that keeping the puppy at their place wasn't such a bad idea. They had a back yard that was fenced in, they had a lot more room than the boys' apartment, and Charlotte made the plea that dogs needed space. Sawyer had been against it at first. She wasn't particularly fond of the probable barking, house training, or having things chewed up. That just wasn't her style. But Charlotte somehow convinced Sawyer that it would be okay. She swore that if the puppy tore up cushions or ate some of Sawyer's records she would pay her back in full._

_Sliding her purse over her arm, Charlotte nodded, "Yeah. I'm leaving right now, actually." As she walked toward the front door she pulled on Sawyer's belt loop._

"_What the hell?" Sawyer felt herself being tugged back toward the door and turned to Charlotte with a strange look._

"_Graham can't come so I need someone else to go with me. Come on. It'll be you and the puppy's first bonding experience."_

_Sawyer's eyes got wide, "Bonding experience? I'm sure I'll have enough of that here with the thing." She could already see it. The unnamed dog and her encompassed in a tug of war with the throw on the couch.  
_

_Charlotte stopped pulling on her cousin's pants and turned to look at her, "Please?"_

_There was something in Charlotte's eyes that made it hard for anyone to say no to her. There was a kindness there; a simple look that could drown even the deepest of hesitations. "Ugh! Okay, fine. But you have to stop doing that. It's not fair."_

_Smiling, Charlotte shrugged, "What?"_

_Sawyer furrowed her brow and pointed at the middle of Charlotte's face, "That."_

_Letting out a small laugh, Charlotte nodded, "Come on, let's go." Sawyer was about to interject with something else to say but the brunette of the bunch knew what was coming. "And I know you want to take your car but I doubt you want a puppy climbing over the leather."_

_Realizing her cousin was completely right, Sawyer smiled, "True."_

_The girls got into Charlotte's car and they headed down the road. Sawyer talked most of the ride. About random things, everything._

_They approached a house and Charlotte turned into the driveway, "We're here." She put it into park and turned to Sawyer, "There should be about seven to choose from. Graham didn't say if he wanted a boy or girl so I guess I'll just know the one I want when we see it."_

"_Sounds like a plan." Sawyer nodded and slid her sunglasses into her hair. She wasn't exactly sure about what to expect but they were puppies. Pretty harmless little things. They would probably be in and out in no time._

_A middle aged woman came out on the porch and smiled at the two young twenty somethings. She worked in the office at Tree Hill High, so she and Charlotte were work friends._

"_Charlotte, hi."_

_Returning the gesture, Charlotte smiled, "Hi, Betty."_

"_I thought you were gonna bring that dashing Coastie of yours with you?"_

_Sawyer almost laughed when she heard dashing but she kept to herself. The woman sounded a little old fashioned but apparently that was what came with age._

_An immediate blush crept across the younger Scott girl's face. Betty had met Graham a few times when he'd come to visit her at school. "He had to work." She turned to Sawyer, "I brought my best friend, Sawyer, with me."_

_Sawyer was never a big fan of meet and greets or introductions with strangers if she wasn't being paid but she smiled politely._

"_The puppies are out back. They've all been cleared by the vet and have had their first shots, so as long as you find one you like you're more than welcomed to take 'em home." Betty walked the girls around to the backyard and Sawyer could hear the pint sized barks and yelps. "Some of them really take to strangers so a few of 'em may rush over you to."_

_"Mmm..." Sawyer raised her eyes with sarcastic enthusiasm. That was just what she wanted, to smell like dog.  
_

_Charlotte got nervous as they walked through the gate but in a good way. In an exciting way. She saw a big dog, probably the mama, and then tiny little things running around her. "Oh my gosh."_

_Betty couldn't help but smile and nod, "Yep, they're cuties." She shut the gate back and turned to the girls, "Feel free to play around with them."_

_Sawyer was surprised at how fast her state of mind changed. Those little terrors were adorable. She glanced at the big dog and saw how beautiful her golden coat was realizing that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to have a a dog around the house._

"_How am I supposed to choose, I want them all." Charlotte laughed and shook her head. Her eyes traveled over the puppies that were surrounded by the mother and then she saw two golden pups out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't even been there five minutes and she knew that one of those was the dog for her and Graham._

"_Charlotte..." Sawyer reached out for her cousin and pointed toward the two dogs Charlotte was already looking at, "That one. I want that one." The second blob was a little more plump and stumbled every other step trying to catch its litter mate. Sawyer's eyes were glued to the second dog and she couldn't hide her smile when the puppy fell over himself. "Oh my God." She'd just fallen in love. She realized that she was there to help Charlotte pick one out but she wasn't going to miss the opportunity. Sawyer looked at Betty with raised eyebrows, "How much?"_

_Charlotte had been keeping an eye on that first puppy and realized that Sawyer was talking about the other one. "I don't know, Saw. Look at that first one."_

_Sawyer turned to Charlotte and furrowed her brow as she pointed to the clumsy pup, "For me. For Ben. I want that one." _

"_You want one?"_

"_Oh don't look so surprised." Sawyer started walking and scooped up the puppy. "How can I not get..." Sawyer checked under the puppy's legs and smirked, "...him?"_

_While Charlotte watched Sawyer play with the other puppy, the little one with the stick happily trotted towards her._ "_Hey, you." Kneeling down, Charlotte ran her hands over the puppy's coat and she was having a moment much like Sawyer had. Puppy love. "You are adorable." She sat down on the ground and the little thing started to crawl over her lap which made her laugh. Charlotte realized that the puppy she'd fallen for was a boy as well and turned to Sawyer, "We're gonna need to get more bowls, and food...and a bigger kennel."_

_Sawyer looked at the puppy in her arms and shrugged, "Fine by us." She looked at the puppy in her lap and shook her head with a laugh when it sneezed. He was too cute for words, and even though Sawyer hadn't intended to get a puppy she'd found herself head over heels. It as a very familiar feeling. Now she just wanted to go tell Ben._

_So after a quick stop at Petco and after setting everything up the puppies would need, it was about four o'clock in the afternoon and the sun was shinning brightly on the baseball field. It was a great day for baseball. Every spring, the Coast Guard split into teams: The Guardsmen and Coasties. They'd raise money the first ten weeks of the year and then it would all culminate to the March baseball game. An extra five thousand dollars would go to the winning teams and to the charity of their choice. It was a huge competition but friendly. All the service men played and their family and friends were encouraged to play as well._

_The first pitch was to be thrown within a half hour and the boys were warming up._

_Graham was in the middle of throwing back and forth with one of his teammates when he saw Ben walking up to him._

_Holding his mask and dressed in all his catchers gear, Ben flipped his hat backwards and held out his hands, "Losing team is buying drinks tonight."_

"_That means you, right," Graham shot back. It was always nice to have a bit of a rivalry between him and his best friend._

_Ben shook his head as he walked toward the opposite dugout, "Whatever man. I'll be hitting so many line drives I'm gonna have you sprinting the entire outfield."_

_Graham rolled his eyes and continued to loosen up with his fellow Guardsmen teammate. There was no way Ben's team would win._

"_Isn't that Charlotte?" Graham's throwing partner used his glove to point and Graham turned around._

"_Yeah." He tossed the ball back toward the guy, "I'll be right back." He turned to walk toward his girlfriend and was surprised at what he saw. She wasn't carrying a puppy, not even a leash. She had her blue t-shirt jersey, the matching hat, and was holding two baseball gloves. They made eye contact and Charlotte waved._

_Sawyer was just behind Charlotte and she was the one with the puppy. Puppies to be more precise. She had one in each arm and Graham furrowed his brow when he met Charlotte, "Two?"_

_Charlotte shrugged, laughing as she turned to look at Sawyer, "She had a change of heart. Looks like you and Ben both get dogs."_

"_No kidding." Graham admired the two dogs Sawyer had and shook his head. Ben was going to be so surprised. _

"_Go get him." Sawyer put down the puppy with the green collar and watched him gallop over toward the two in blue Guardsmen uniforms. She was looking across the field to spot Ben but she knew that he was probably busy getting ready for the game. Puppy in hand, she looked down at the little thing and couldn't help but smile._

_Ben had seen his friends and girlfriend over by the fence and he'd headed that way. When he saw that Sawyer was cradling a puppy in her arms his heart skipped a beat. "No way." Ben looked to Charlotte and Graham first as he walked toward his friends hoping they wouldn't shoot down his excitement. Sawyer had really gotten them a dog too, hadn't she._

_Graham nodded, "Looks like you got one too."_

_Sawyer almost blushed when Ben got up to her. "I couldn't help it." That had been true. To Sawyer that cute little thing was Ben in puppy form._

_Graham had picked up his and Charlotte's puppy and looked at her, "Big step for them, huh?" He turned to look at the other couple and knew that getting a dog together, or however they wanted to spin it, was a big deal._

_Smiling, Charlotte nodded, "And they don't even realize it."_

_Sawyer had given Ben their puppy and he looked over his shoulder to his friends, "What about names? What do we name them? They're both boys."_

"_Uh..."_

_Answering her own question, Sawyer had a good idea about what they could name them. "Elvis and Costello." Sawyer nodded because that was obviously her first choice._

_Laughing, Charlotte shook her head, "No." She laughed again, "I figured the guys would come up with some nautical names or something."_

_Ben looked at the puppy in his arms, "You know, I always kinda wanted to name a dog Trout."_

_Graham liked Ben's idea of naming a dog after a fish. After looking down at the green collared little fella, he glanced to Charlotte. "How about Mackerel? We can call him Mack?"_

"_I love it."_

"_Yeah?" Graham raised his eyebrows._

_Charlotte nodded, "Yeah."_

_As much as Sawyer wanted to protest and argue more steadily for Elvis and Costello she had to note that Trout Trammel and Mack McFarland were kind of cute dog names. Of course she wouldn't tell anyone that but she did like them._

"_How bout you, O.J.? Whatdya think?" Ben gave Sawyer a goofy smile._

"_Trout, huh?" Sawyer ran her hand over the puppy and sighed, "If it can't be Elvis or Costello then I can settle with Trout." She watched as Ben knelt down to play with the little thing and she started to smile. It had been a whim but it was kind of how she and Ben had started._

That puppy wasn't so little anymore and Trout stretched and let out an funny little squeal as he yawned, and Sawyer was thrown from her memory. She lifted her her foot to take off her yellow stained sock and remembered the stranger in her house."You better attack when I say if it comes to that." Looking back to the dog, Sawyer nodded before opening her bedroom door.

Her feet walked down the hallway and she knew whoever it was, was in the kitchen.

"Does Charlotte clean this place everyday?" Peyton had her back to her daughter and drug her finger over the kitchen table astonished that there was no dust.

"Wha...Mom? Why are you here?"

Peyton turned around and arched her brow when she saw her oldest holding onto a bat, "Why do you have _that_?"

"Because I didn't _know_ who was in _my_ house."

Peyton laughed and rolled her eyes, "I told you yesterday I was coming by."

"What? No you didn't." Setting down the bat, Sawyer shook her head, "I don't remember you saying that."

"Well I did."

Narrowing her eyes, Sawyer shrugged, "I must have toned you out."

Peyton nodded and crossed her arms, "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Sawyer sarcastically repeated her mother and walked towards the fridge. "So really? What are you doing here?"

"We've got to go downtown and help set up." She looked at her daughter and raised her brow while crossing her arms, "The Fourth of July...that _is_ tomorrow."

"Oh...right." Sawyer started to pull out something to make breakfast but realized she wouldn't have the time. "...I remember." Catching the 'yeah right' look her mother was giving her, Sawyer nodded, "I was just testing you."

"Mmm-huh and pigs can fly." Peyton laughed and rolled her eyes.

The Fourth of July Riverfront Celebration had been going on for a while now. And during that while, Peyton had been orchestrating the live music for the annual event. Considering Sawyer was taking some of the reins of the family business, the older Scott was giving the younger her first big time MC gig. Sawyer was a people person. As odd as that sounded she was, so Peyton wasn't worried about her oldest handling the crowd but she was a little worried about Sawyer's time management. She was failing miserably in that category.

"I'll be dressed in five minutes and I'll meet you downtown in about fifteen."

"Fifteen?"

Sawyer caught the sarcasm in her mother's tone. "Yes. Fifteen...ish."

Laughing, Peyton nodded and walked towards the door petting Trout on her way out, "Fifteen minutes, kid."

"I know. I know." Sawyer watched her mom leave the house and the younger Scott sprinted to her bedroom to throw on a change of clothes. She couldn't very well go dressed in her pajamas.

Throwing on some shorts, and layering two different colored tanks, Sawyer ran to brush her teeth and then headed for her car. She caught a glimpse of the dog lying by the door and Sawyer took a deep breath. How could she not take him? It wasn't like he could hang around the house with Mack. Charlotte and Graham had taken their dog with them. Trout would be alone.

Sawyer did have a bit of a black heart, unable to sympathize with people sometimes, but it wasn't that black. She couldn't just leave the dog all by his lonesome. "Trout, come on. Let's go."

They walked outside and Sawyer waited to make sure the towel she had in her car was securely over the leather. She wasn't about to have the fur ball scratch up her seats. Sawyer opened up the passenger side door and looked at the golden retriever, "Chop, chop, Trout. You're gonna make me late." The dog hopped into the car and Sawyer hustled over to the driver's side. She quickly started the engine and peeled out of the driveway.

It didn't take her long to get downtown because downtown was only a few streets away. She parked in an empty space on Market Street that may or may not have been handicapped. But to her defense, the blue paint was _really_ faded. Sawyer and Trout made their way to the stage that was being set up and she saw her mom.

"You got here faster than I thought."

Under her breath, Sawyer repeated her mother and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I told you. Fifteen minutes."

"Alright, well we've got to get this ready for tomorrow. Neil's here. He's gonna help move some of the equipment. I told Keith to come too but he and your dad are out shopping."

"Shopping?" Sawyer nearly burst into laughing. "For what?"

Looking over to the tents that were set up, Peyton tilted her head, "The barbecue contest. You know how competitive your dad gets."

Remembering that her father was participating in the cook off, Sawyer started to laugh.

"What?" Peyton glanced at her daughter and rested her hands on her hips, "He might have a shot."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. You're not helping him are you?"

Cutting her eyes, Peyton unraveled an amp cord while shaking her head, "I think you've out grown your remarks about my cooking. It's not _that_ bad."

Sawyer knew better than to say anything back so she kept her mouth shut and started to move the amp her mom had just plugged in.

"Let me help you with that."

Looking up, Sawyer saw the familiar faced bartender from Tric and laughed, "I can get it, Neil."

"I'm sure you can but you're gonna slip a disk if you keep doing it like that."

Sawyer didn't think anything was wrong with her form and shook off his advice. "I can handle it."

In the three years that he'd known Sawyer, Neil realized she was the type to figure things out the hard way. Even if it got herself hurt. He watched as she tried to scoot the Marshall amp across the stage and he shook his head, "Scraping up a fine piece of equipment there, Sawyer."

"Go away."

Peyton was laughing as she listened to the exchange between Sawyer and Neil and knew that her personality had more than rubbed off on her daughter.

Still hearing him pestering her, Sawyer looked up and squinted at Neil, "Fine. What? Are you an expert in the field or something?"

"As a matter of fact..." Neil laughed and nodded as he went over to pick up the amp. "I was a mover in college."

"A mover?"

"Yep, whatever paid the bills." Neil quickly and easily moved the amplifier and then walked over to Trout and started rubbing the dog's head. "He still growl at strange men?"

Sawyer nodded and started walking to one of the electricians working on the box, "Watch this." She stood next to Jerry and pointed at the dog.

Neil looked down to Trout and sure enough he was starting to growl. "I should feel lucky, huh?"

Walking back toward her dog and Tric's best bartender, Sawyer nodded, "I guess so. I mean I've been taking him to work with me since he was a puppy. You and him go way back."

"Guess Jerry didn't make the cut?"

Sawyer glanced over her shoulder and shook her head, "Not so much." She knelt down and looked at the lovable dog soaking up the sun, "I think there are about seven guys he tolerates, you being one of the lucky guys, but he really only _likes_ one other person." Maybe Trout really liked three guys, Graham and Bennet included, but Neil would get the picture. Out of the corner of her eye, Sawyer could see the large white boat coming close to port and Trout's ears perked up. She looked down at her dog and nodded, "He's about to run down the Riverwalk. Just watch."

Neil looked over to the boat coming in and laughed, "And you're gonna chase him?" Sawyer nodded and Neil wasn't sure if she was going to chase the dog or go chasing after Ben.

"Well you can't just have a crazy dog on the loose." She arched her brow with a laugh as she watched the golden retriever jump off the stage and start running for the Diligence. "Cover for me, will ya. I'll be back."

Peyton walked from the other side of the stage with a box in her hands, "Now where's she going?"

"Trying to catch her dog, I guess."

Watching as the USCG Diligence pulled close to shore, Peyton rose her brow with a smirk, "Well I'm _sure_ she is." Her eyes watched as her daughter headed down the Riverwalk and she laughed to herself.

Sawyer walked down the wooden planks and started to smile when she heard Trout start to bark with excitement. Ben had only been away since seven that morning but man's best friend was really man's best friend. Ben may have had Graham but Trout was moving up the ranks pretty fast.

Rope in hand and ready to tie up, Ben spotted his dog and then spotted his girl. He got that goofy grin on his face and he still had a hard time believing that he'd been with the blue eyed blonde for just about a year now.

The boat came to a stop and when Ben was free to get off he walked down the stairs toward Sawyer and Trout. "I was only out for half a day and I still get a homecoming?"

"You wish." Sawyer smiled and kissed him when he got close enough, "I was in the neighborhood." She looked back toward the stage, "Setting up for tomorrow. Trout decided he wanted to come along."

"_He _decided that or _you _decided that?" Ben smiled at her because he knew that she couldn't leave that dog home alone.

"That's not important."

Ben smiled at her and shook his head, "So, uh...has Charlotte called or anything?"

"Uh...no. Should she have?"

The fact that Ben knew Graham was going to propose sometime soon was reason to expect a call but that was a secret Ben was having to keep from Sawyer. "No. I was just wondering." Trying to change the subject, Ben looked out across the water. "The waves were rolling pretty high today. I didn't know if you talked to her about the weather or something. I bet they're getting monster swells up there."

"That's sailor talk that I do not partake in." Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "That's the _last_ thing we would probably talk about." She tossed him a funny grin and then glanced back to the stage, "I should better get back before Mom tries to fire me."

"You're too good at what you do to get fired."

"I know." Sawyer nodded and kissed him again for the compliment. "I'll see you later. Dinner at...your place?"

"Actually..." Ben furrowed his brow and shook his head, "Your dad invited us to come over."

"_My_ dad? What? Why?" She knew that they'd be seeing plenty of her parents tomorrow so why the need for even more exposure?

Shrugging, Ben smiled, "He called me this morning asking if I would help him cook tomorrow and when I said yes he offered dinner."

"For both of us?"

He laughed and nodded, "Last time I checked it was _both_ of us."

"Oh." Sawyer was over the news about dinner and focused more about this barbecue thing. "My dad really asked you to help tomorrow?"

"I'm from Memphis, O.J. We know how to make some ribs. I think I'll be his secret ingredient."

Sawyer frowned and laughed, "Please never say that again."

"Well I'm just saying." He nodded and shrugged his shoulders, "I know my way around a rib or two."

Secretly loving the fact that her dad asked her boyfriend to help him tomorrow, Sawyer felt her cheeks turn red and she looked away before Ben could see. "I'll see you later."

Nodding, Ben watched her walk away and patted their dog on the side of his head, "Keep an eye on her, Trout." The dog ran after Sawyer and Ben stood on the Riverwalk watching them head the opposite direction. There was something about the way she moved down the old wooden pier that made his goofy grin return, and Trout even had a little swagger too. Ben knew he loved her, but it was more than that. He was starting to picture her five, ten years down the road and everything was the same. They'd had a whirlwind romance from the beginning and Ben didn't see an ending in sight. She needed him like he needed her. That wasn't going to change. That wasn't going to ever change.

**OTHOTH**

The Fourth of July always brought out the majority of Tree Hill to its downtown streets. Vendors and small boutiques lined Water Street and it was something of a spectacle. People dressed in red, white and blue, and there was even a parade where kids would decorate their wagons and bikes and proudly display their patriotic sides. Most of them didn't understand what Independence Day was or why it was celebrated but it was a fun time for family and friends to gather and watch fireworks.

But the fireworks weren't scheduled until later and right now Sawyer needed to introduce the band.

She was wearing a halter dress that kinda looked like an oversized navy bandanna but somehow she could pull it off. "How's everyone doing this afternoon?" Sawyer was like an old pro and looked out across the Tree Hill population who were clapping and cheering. "Happy Fourth of July, everybody. I hope everyone's have a great time on this festive afternoon. A special good luck to those of you who are competing in the barbecue contest, and I'd like to introduce the first band for you guys. Hailing from just south of us in Charleston, South Carolina help me welcome My Calhoun Moon to the stage." Sawyer smiled as the musicians took the stage and she heard the group of men in their forties start to play the intro to their first cover song. They weren't exactly her first choice but this show was family friendly and they were about as family friendly as they could get.

"Guess I didn't have to worry about you after all." Peyton watched as Sawyer walked down the steps from the stage and smiled.

"Nope. I got it covered."

Smiling because she was proud of Sawyer, Peyton watched the younger blonde walk away from the stage. "If you go by your dad's stand, be sure and tell him it's good. Even if it's terrible."

Throwing up her hand to let her mom know she heard her, Sawyer disappeared in the crowd and started walking towards the scattered tents. The first one she came across brought a smile to her face but it wasn't her dad's. "How's it going uncle Nathan?"

Wiping his hands on a towel, Nathan smiled at Sawyer, "Uh...it's going."

Jamie opened up the grill and then turned to Sawyer, "What do you think?"

"Got one I can taste?"

Nathan walked over to an aluminum pan and pulled off a short rib. "It might be hot."

Sawyer took the rib and tasted the thing for comparisons sake. It wouldn't be Sawyer like if she didn't throw in a little spy work on the competition. Sure, she wanted her uncle and cousin to do well but she wanted her dad, brother and Ben to do better. But they were going have to pull out all the stops if they wanted to win. Nathan was a glorified grill master and apparently Jamie had some cooking skills too. Haley had taught both of them well.

"Is it too sweet?" Nathan furrowed his brow wondering what they should add or reduce.

She wanted to tell him the truth; that it was really, really, really good, but she was team other Scott. "Uh...maybe. I think it would be better with a bit more of a bite."

"Spicier?" Jamie looked at Sawyer and then to his dad, "We can do that."

"Thanks for the taste, guys. Off to scout the others." Sawyer tossed her rib in the closest trash can and then walked down the busy street for her dad's tent. She stood on the outside of it and smiled,"Y'all gonna win?"

Keith picked up a large bag of charcoal and fed the fire, "Probably."

"Well I just tried Uncle Nathan's and his are _probably_ gonna win."

"What?" Lucas turned around after flipping a rack of ribs and shook his head, "No way."

"Yes way. They're really good."

Ben had been kneeling down looking for some ingredients for the sauce and shook his head, "Haven't tried ours yet."

"Well by all means, let me taste test so I can settle the score." Sawyer nodded and looked at the pan of ribs on the table. "Those are done, right?" She reached over but Ben stopped her.

"Agh, agh, nope."

"Come on. I'm helping you out."

Ben shook his head, "We're playing fair over here."

"I am playing fair. I'm on your team!" Knowing that her boyfriend wasn't going to budge, Sawyer looked at her dad, "Dad, just one. It's not going to hurt anything."

"Ben's the one with all the answers. If he says no then I think he's right. He's got a good thing going right now."

A little peeved that her dad was taking Ben's side, Sawyer rolled her eyes and stomped away, "I'll come back when you change your mind."

Keith walked over to Ben and put down the bag of charcoal with a laugh, "You do know that she's gonna be mad about this for a while."

"I know." Ben watched Sawyer's dress fade into the crowd and he looked to her brother, "She'll get over it."

"How...what did you do to master the art of Sawyer Scott?" Keith furrowed his brow and looked in the direction his older sister had gone. "I've known her my whole life and I still can't get her like you do."

Lucas smiled as he walked over to his son and Ben. It wasn't any fault of Keith's that he hadn't been able to crack through Sawyer's external riddle. Only a few people had. "Don't worry about it Keith. I still have trouble." That wasn't exactly true. Lucas probably knew his daughter better than anyone else but he was just saying that to make him feel better.

While the guys went on about Sawyer, the actual girl was walking towards the various vendors and spotted four women and two kids she recognized.

Bennet was the first to catch her eye and the six year old walked up to her with a mini American flag, "Here, I got a extra."

"Thanks, kid." Sawyer took the flag from Jamie's son and walked toward the women. Her mom had joined Haley, Brooke, and Liza and the women were more or less window shopping. Scratch that, Brooke actually had bags, but she was an exception. She never found a store, or a vendor no less that didn't have something she couldn't buy. "Get some good stuff?"

Most of it was meaningless knickknacks that probably weren't worth the jacked up price but Brooke nodded, "I got a really cute handmade picture frame." Brooke rummaged through one of the bags and held it out.

Sawyer tried to hide her laugh but looked at the Popsicle stick creation, "What's that? Second grade chic?" She looked at her mom and arched her brow, "Didn't I make something like that in elementary school?" Peyton nodded so she knew that Brooke's son must have done the same. "I'm sure Davis made one."

"He did, but...I couldn't help it. You should have seen the kids who were selling them."

Haley nodded, "They were kind of precious. I held out because I'm sure that someone..." She looked over to Bennet and smiled, "Will make me one sometime soon."

Sawyer laughed and looked at her aunt, "And if he doesn't give you one, I know what I can give you for Christmas. You all can get picture frames for Christmas."

Liza always knew that Sawyer had a certain attitude but it never failed to amuse her. "I'm with you. Cheap and easy."

"Exactly."

Peyton had been looking over the merchandise at the tent they were stopped by and turned to her daughter, "So how were the ribs?"

"Ha. Funny story." Sawyer rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Dad and Ben wouldn't let me taste theirs but I tried Uncle Nathan's."

"Were they okay?" Haley looked to her niece with wondering eyes. "He was testing dry rubs yesterday and I think he may have gone overboard with the paprika."

Sawyer shook her head, "No his were great. Really good."

Bennet looked up to the women proudly, "My dad's a pretty good cook. He's helping Grandpa."

Sawyer thought the world of Bennet and kinda sorta loved the fact that he was so cute. "He was doing a good job, pal. A real good job." She watched as Bennet handed his thirteen month old sister his little American flag and Sawyer quickly took it away from the little girl, "Whoa, Bennet. She might poke her eye out. I'm not even sure they're safe for me to have." She laughed and shook her head as the four other women noticed Sawyer's maternal instinct. With the flags in hand, Sawyer glanced to adults and noticed their stare. "What? I didn't want her to hurt herself."

"Oh, nothing." Brooke smiled and started walking over to the next vendor. For being a self proclaimed, baby hater...maybe not that harsh, Sawyer was pretty good around kids if she wanted to believe it or not.

Sawyer looked at her mom and then to Haley, "Did I like break a rule or something? Was that against some moral code? I was only trying to help." The twenty five year old was wondering why everyone was looking at her funny. "Okay...well...I'm gonna head back toward the stage."

Turning her back to the women of her family, Sawyer walked away with a shake of her head still wondering why they all felt the need to make it a big deal that she was simply trying to avoid an accident. Most people probably would have done the same. It wasn't that strange. But that was beside the point because Sawyer saw her brother walking back to their dad's tent and she ran up to him and pulled on his arm.

"Ow, dammit, Sawyer." Keith looked down at his elbow and then to his sister, "What was that for."

"Alright, you need to do me a favor. Get me a rib, and get me one fast. I'm doing this for your own good, and you best do what I say."

Keith wasn't a baby anymore but he was still and always would be her baby brother. "Sawyer..."

"Seriously...just get me one."

Looking at the tent he knew he could slip one rib. "I don't..."

"I'm gonna kick you in the nuts." Sawyer's big eyes turned serious.

Keith laughed but winced because he knew she was serious. "Then mom and Dad won't ever have grandkids." He looked at her and shook his head, "And I was _gonna say_...I don't want dad and Ben to see so distract them for a second." He looked at her with a little more authority and used his height to his advantage, "Or...I'll punch you in the boob."

When they were growing up, little tiffs between the two of them did not shy away from physical violence. It was nothing serious but Sawyer knew his weak spots and he knew hers. Even if her targets were small.

Sawyer laughed out loud, "What boob?" She was pretty light hearted about her flat chest.

He laughed with her but nodded, "Just distract them." The twenty two year old was going to do as his big sister asked only if he got to give her some orders too.

"Alright, fine." Sawyer walked over to talk with her dad and Ben and asked some dumb question about sauce to get them both to turn around for a split second. "Mmm, never mind. I don't really need to know what goes in the stuff. It all turns out the same." Sawyer saw Keith steal a rib away and she turned away from the tent and disappeared in the crowd only to walk up to Keith a moment later.

"Here."

"Thanks." Sawyer sunk her teeth into the rib and was surprised by the flavor.

"And it's kinda late to give us some pointers now, by the way."

Sawyer nodded and took another bite, "I know. I just wanted first dibs."

Keith rolled his eyes and laughed, "Of course you did."

"Oh shit." Sawyer saw Ben out of the corner of her eye and dropped the rib before he could see her eating it. Keith had turned around to see Ben and then turned to Sawyer with a smile.

Ben walked out from under the tent and over to his girlfriend, "Hey."

Clearing her throat, Sawyer smiled, "Hey."

Without warning, Ben leaned over to kiss her but instead of her lips he landed his on the corner of her mouth.

"What was that fo..."

"Onion, mustard, molasses, chili pepper, butter..." He could have gone on but he stopped. "You wanted to know what was in the sauce." Ben pulled away with a smirk, "You had a little..." He pointed to the corner of his mouth and laughed. If she hadn't gotten sauce on her face he may have never known she'd snuck a rib. "Just had to try it didn't you?"

"My covert operation got squashed, huh?" Using the back of her hand, Sawyer wiped her mouth in case she was still holding evidence.

"A little bit, yeah." He nodded and leaned to kiss her again. "All you had to do was ask." Ben looked at her with another smile and started to head back to cooking, "I would have said yes this time."

Sawyer stood there with an open mouth. How did he do that? How did he play her game so well? He must have been a fast learner because he had gotten really good at it. Really good. Without anything to say, Sawyer took a deep breath and started to feel her heart race as she walked away from the tent full of guys she loved. Her next stop was to let the crowd who had gathered around the band know that the results for the competition would be arriving shortly.

And during that thirty minutes of waiting, Sawyer was doing a lot of thinking while aimlessly listening to the My Calhoun Moon play a Tom Petty song. She thought mostly about Ben and then a lot about the barbecue competition. She knew the judges pretty well. They were all prominent members of Tree Hill's population. Principal Woodard from the junior high, Mayor Grissom, and the chief of police, Lionel Ellis. He happened to be the cop who so lovingly gave her the ticket for parking in the handicapped space yesterday. If only it hadn't been lunchtime she maybe could have gotten away with it. But aside from her parking violation, Sawyer was thinking about how Ben and her dad and Keith might fare in the competition. Nathan and Jamie's ribs were kind of amazing but Ben's...they were different. Good different. Melt in your mouth, make you think about what you just ate so good, good. The other competitors' were probably just as tasty and she wouldn't be surprised if neither her dad nor uncle placed.

"Here, Sawyer." Sawyer had been sitting on the steps on the stage and looked up to see Principal Woodard. "We've picked our winner."

"Oh, okay." Sawyer took the envelope and smiled at her ex principal. "Thanks. I'll read the results after this song." The man smiled at his old student and nodded. With the results in her hand Sawyer tried to see if she could see through the paper but she couldn't. The band started to play the outro of their song and Sawyer knew it was time to get back up on stage. She nodded at the lighting guy and then the lead singer and made her way on stage. "Let's give My Calhoun Moon a round of applause for that last song." She waited for the buzz of the crowd to die down a little and she smiled, "It's been a fun night having all of y'all down here for the seventeenth annual Fourth of July Riverfront Celebration." She held out the envelope and looked to the tents scattered down Water Street. "I have so graciously been given the honor to announce this year's winners off the barbecue cook off and if we could get a drum roll..." Sawyer turned around and looked at My Calhoun Moon's drummed and he started the drum roll. "Fourth runner up goes to the Treywick Family! Congratulations. Ribbons and trophies are up here on stage so make your way through the crowds and come collect your prize." Sawyer saw the family head her way and she got ready to read the next winner, "Third runner up... Hog Heaven!" She smiled a little more enthusiastically than she normally but it was part of the gig. Who ever named that team was _real_ creative. "Second runner up... " Sawyer hadn't looked at the names before because she was just going down the page but she stopped at this name. She knew these names. "Coach Lucas Scott with Keith Scott and Lieutenant Ben Trammell." Looking across the crowd, Sawyer saw the three of them walking her way and she couldn't help but smile. It wasn't first, but it didn't matter. She went on to read the names of the second and first place finishers all the while thinking of how her boys had done.

When the awards had been given Sawyer told everyone that the fireworks would be starting in the next fifteen minutes. She headed off stage and saw Ben waiting on her with his hands in his pockets and that smile that got her every time.

He put his arm around her and they started walking away from the stage, "So where do you want to watch the fireworks?"

Sawyer had a pretty good idea so she took Ben's hand and walked down Water Street headed for Front Street. They would have to hurry to get there in time but she figured they'd make it. Clothes over Bro's was closed but she had a key. Just about anyone in her family did.

"Inside Brooke's store?" Ben laughed and didn't know how the view would be from inside.

Shaking her head, Sawyer looked behind her as they walked inside and toward the stairs, "Not inside."

Realizing that she was taking them up to the roof Ben laughed at himself for thinking she had such strange taste lookout spots. The roof was gonna be good with him.

When the outside air swept Sawyer's hair over her shoulder she looked at him with a smirk, "How's this?"

Ben looked around and nodded, "I didn't even know you could come up here."

Sawyer walked over to the edge and nodded, "My dad and Aunt Haley used to have a putt-putt course up here. They'd throw water balloons and milk balloons at each other."

"Where's the putt-putt? That sounds fun." He looked around and was really looking forward to getting in a little mini golf.

She couldn't help but laugh at his boyish antics and shook her head, "They took it down a long time ago. My grandmother made them take it down when the roof started to leak." Sawyer laughed and sat on the edge of the building without fear or hesitation. "And I don't know if you'd want to play putt-putt with me. I'm kinda awesome."

"I could take you down. You haven't seen my golf game, O.J."

She shook her head agreeing and then looked to him with a smile, "Second runner up in the barbecue thing, though."

He nodded and took a step closer to her, "Second place. I'll take it."

Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "Third. It's third place."

"Same difference."

Shaking her head, Sawyer wasn't going to agree with Ben on that one, "No it's not."

"Whatever. At least we placed. Maybe next year we'll win."

"You and my dad?"

Ben nodded, "If he wants me on his team."

Sawyer stood up and put her arms around his waist and kissed him, "He's gonna want you on his team."

Ben looked at her through the darkness and heard the first boom of the fireworks, "What about you. Will I be on your team?" He wasn't asking about her barbecue team but her team in general. Was she seeing him in her future like he saw her?

Sawyer felt the goosebumps on her arms as explosions of color lit up the sky. "You better be on my team." He leaned down to kiss her and when Ben pulled away she shrugged, "I've never been much of a team player, though. But I think we can manage."

Ben nodded and kissed her again, "Yeah, we'll manage."

Tree Hill was lit up with the 4th of July fireworks and Sawyer felt the same explosions pounding inside her chest. There was nothing he could say that would ever make them stop and that was fine with Sawyer. Those colors in the sky had nothing on the ones she was feeling inside. So suck it pyrotechnics, you can't capture love or anything like it with your bombs of color. The colorful skyline over the Cape Fear was perfect but it wouldn't last as long and Sawyer and Ben would.

But that was the thing. Fireworks were spontaneous bursts of light that combusted with the right combination of powder and fire, but they only lasted a split second. In an instant they would fizzle out, so would Sawyer and Ben have the same fate?

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer was not one for dresses and heels and fake smiles and handshakes, and Ben knew that. He knew she wasn't going to be thrilled about their evening plans but last year he'd been dumb enough not to ask her to the annual USCG banquet. This year he'd learned from his mistakes.

"So how long is this thing gonna last?" Sawyer looked out the window and took a deep breath. She could already tell that her chicken cutlets were starting to come loose.

"Two, three hours max."

"Holy hell. Three hours?" Sawyer's brow furrowed and she looked behind them, "It's not too late to change our minds is it?"

"I can't just skip out, Sawyer. My commanding officers will be there. I have to go."

"Okay, okay. Fine. You're right. You need to go to this." She looked over to him and nodded, "But if it's a total suckfest I'll caw."

"Call who?"

"No." Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "Caw. Like a bird. You know..." Sawyer got in ready position and let out her best imitation of a bird, "Caw."

"I thought I had some strange quirks about me but...you win."

Sawyer laughed at herself but knew that it was something her dad had done a while ago. Her grandmother still told the story. "Whatever. Just know that it's our sign."

Ben nodded and tried to imitate her bird call, "Caw!"

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, "Maybe I should be the only one who does it." It wasn't really a question and Ben knew it.

The suckfest, as Sawyer would have called it, got off to a slow start. The house band was not good at all and Sawyer wanted to give them the number off a self help center they were so bad. The food was okay. Not awesome but not horrible. Charlotte and Graham were there along with Sawyer and Ben's other Coast Guard mutual friends but that was about the only good thing going. Sawyer wasn't much of a dancer and really wasn't a fan of trying to sway to the off beat band. There were more than a few occasions were she wanted to pull out a 'caw' but she tried her hardest to stay as long as she possibly could. Ben did a lot of things she liked to do without complaining and she could do the same. Or try to.

They were sitting at their table and Ben stood up when one of his commanding officers approached. "Master Chief, good to see you."

"I've heard the patrols have been going well, Trammell."

Sawyer knew that she should stand up because the guy talking to her boyfriend had so many fancy patches and medals on his uniform that it was making her eyes cross.

"Yes sir." Ben looked to Sawyer and introduced her, "Master Chief Anders, this is my girlfriend Sawyer Scott."

"Scott, huh. Another one of Nathan's daughter has taken to Guardsmen?"

Sawyer politely shook her head, "No sir, he's my uncle. My dad is _Lucas _Scott. His brother."

"That's right." Master Chief Anders nodded at his mistake, "He coaches the high school team here, doesn't he?"

"And he's a writer."

Ben looked at the older man and smiled, "He's published some great books."

Thinking about the name, Ben's superior nodded, "I think my wife has a few of his books. Romance novels, I think."

It was always a bit annoying when people only categorized her dad as a romance novelist because he wasn't just that. He was so much more. "He's actually done a few books about basketball that don't include any kind of love story."

"Has he ever thought about writing about the Coast Guard? There's a rich history worth telling."

Sawyer wanted to tell the guy that her dad had better things to write about but she held her tongue, "I'll have to suggest it to him when he's not working on his _romance _novels.."

Ben could already tell that Master Chief had ruffled Sawyer's feathers and he tried to change the subject. He shot Sawyer a warning look and then glanced back to Master Chief Anders, "How are things looking with the new boat, sir?"

"It's going really well. I'm afraid Tree Hill's division won't need the boat though. It will probably end up in Texas or Louisiana. Their programs could use a bit of a resurgence."

Seeing that Admiral Langston was waving him over for pictures, Master Chief excused himself and Sawyer watched him walk away. She looked at her boyfriend with a furrowed brow, "Caw."

"Yeah, we can go." Ben made sure to say goodbye to any of the uppity ups that he needed to and then he and Sawyer headed outside.

The warm August night was sticky with humidity and Sawyer could already feel the moisture sit in her hair. She got into her side of the car while he got in his and she looked over to Ben with a laugh, "That Master Chief guy was a jerk."

"He was just trying to make conversation, Sawyer. Can't fault the guy for trying to do that."

"I'm not, but he was being rude."

Ben knew that his superior officer was far from rude so he laughed it off, "No he wasn't." Sawyer looked over to him with a furrowed brow and Ben shrugged, "What you...you can be a little cold sometimes."

"Cold? And what's that supposed to mean?"

Ben didn't want to start an argument but that was where this was headed, "No, nothing. I just..." They way she'd sneered back at the Master Chief about Lucas finding time to write about the Coast Guard after he worked on his romance novels had come off on the bitchy side.

Sawyer's raised her brows, "Just what?"

"You can come off a little bitchy...sometimes. You just have to know your personality."

She couldn't deny the fact that she was bitchy sometimes but she wasn't liking the way he was telling her. "So it was my fault that the old geezer wasn't nice?"

"What? No. That's not what I'm saying." Ben started the car and drove toward her house hopping they could change the subject.

"Well what's the problem then?"

"There's not a problem, Sawyer. I...I don't think you and Master Chief were on the same page."

"Because I'm a bitch?"

She wasn't going to let go of this and he knew it. It would be easier just to agree with her. "Maybe, yeah."

"God, you're an ass."

"What did you want me to say?"

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer shook her head, "Not that?"

Ben looked at her with the same furrowed brow, "What the hell, Sawyer. You were backing me into a corner. You wouldn't let me say anything else."

"So it's my fault again?" Sawyer cut her eyes and then looked out the window.

Taking a deep breath, Ben shook his head, "No. It's not your fault." He should have stopped there but he didn't. "Maybe sometimes you need to think about what your saying and the tone of voice you say it in."

"Oh, okay, Mr. Perfect. Let me know how I can change to make you happy."

"Ugh..." Ben's eyes got wide and he shook his head again, "I'm not... Where are you coming up with this stuff? I don't want you to change. I only said that for future reference."

"So to make life easier I need to put up a bullshit smile and grin and bare it."

"Sometimes." He didn't want her to think that he didn't like the way she was because he loved how she was, every part of her, but it didn't mean he couldn't have an opinion on some things. "I just mean that you don't have to always think or speak about how you feel."

"Now I'm selfish?"

"God, Sawyer!" Ben was looked at her and took a deep breath, "Let me finish."

"Fine. Finish."

"That guy happens to be my boss, right? So what if I looked like I was having a miserable time at some function your mom was putting on? It wouldn't look good for _you_ or _me_."

She knew he had a point but didn't want to talk about it. "Let me out."

"What? No."

"Ben." Sawyer looked at him and put her hand on the handle, "Let me out of the car."

"Sawyer, it's late."

"I don't care. I'm a big girl. I can fend off any bad guys with my _bitchiness_."

Irritated that she said that, Ben stopped the car and looked at her, "Fine. Do it. See if I care."

"Fine." Sawyer opened up her door and then slammed it shut.

Ben sat in the car for a minute realizing how dumb they were acting. He rolled down the window and slowly pulled along side her walk, "Sawyer, come on. Get back in the car."

"No. Absolutely not. I'm fine on my own. I can walk home."

He wasn't going to let her walk home in heels and a dress. "Look, we were both being immature, just get back in the car."

Sawyer stopped walking and put her hand on her hips, "You might as well save yourself the trouble because I'm perfectly fine walking. Leave me alone, Ben!"

"I'm not leaving you here!"

"I'm telling you to go." Sawyer shooed her arms in front of her and nodded, "Go."

He didn't want to leave her but if her drove around the block once it couldn't hurt. She could get what she wanted and he could come back and pick her up, what he wanted. "You want me to go?"

"Yes." She nodded at him like it was a dumb question. "Go." She saw his taillights drive down the road and Sawyer suddenly felt alone. Alone, worried, scared, and really dumb for making him go. But her pride was too big for her to swallow so the first person she called wasn't Ben. It was Charlotte.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Sawyer looked around the dark street and started to regret ever telling Ben to leave.

"We just pulled out of the parking lot."

Sawyer sighed in relief, "Thank God. Okay, I need you to come get me. I'm on Princess Street."

"Princess? What? Where's Ben?"

"Just come get me."

Charlotte had known Sawyer her whole life but the tone in Sawyer's voice was new. "Alright, alright. We'll be there in a minute."

Sawyer hung up and stopped walking. The two minutes that passed felt like an hour and when she saw Graham's white Tahoe she opened up the door before the car was stopped.

"Where's Ben?" Graham watched as Sawyer slid into his back seat.

"We got into a fight."

Charlotte knew that Sawyer and Ben had their fair share of differences but they always made up. Obviously this fight had just happened. They hadn't had time to make up. "What did you fight about?"

"Me being a bitch." Sawyer sunk back into the chair and crossed her arms, "But he left me in the street."

"Did you _tell him_ to leave you?" Graham looked at Sawyer because if she asked him to leave he would have. The only way Ben would have done it was if Sawyer strictly told him to.

"Maybe." Sawyer looked at the couple in the front seats and hated that they were so perfect. They'd had their issues but Charlotte had the ring on her finger to prove Sawyer's point. Charlotte and Graham were perfect for each other and it was making Sawyer's stomach hurt. She'd just potentially broken up with Ben and she had to stare and the newly engaged couple in front of her. "Just...will you take me to the house, Graham?" He nodded and they drove toward the girls' house. Sawyer felt her phone buzz more than a few times but she wasn't in the mood to talk. She was mad at herself and mad at him. She as mad at Charlotte and Graham for being to damn cute and she was mad at the situation.

When Graham pulled into the driveway Sawyer opened up her door and looked at Charlotte, "Are you coming in?"

Charlotte knew that Sawyer would sulk around the house until either she or Ben came to their senses but Sawyer could handle it on her own. Charlotte shook her head and looked back to her cousin, "I'll see you tomorrow for lunch."

Sawyer nodded and then headed for the house. The last thing she was going to want to do tomorrow was plan or talk about any wedding stuff with Charlotte and Liza, but she knew that as the maid of honor it was going to be her duty. When Sawyer got into the house Charlotte and Graham drove away. She flopped down on the couch and stared at the television and was thinking about turning it on but she was liking the silence. But when the silence became too quiet, Sawyer picked up her phone and decided she might as well listen to her messages. She walked into the kitchen and listened to Ben's voice.

"Hey. Where are you? I drove around the block and then you were gone. Call me back." Sawyer hit the next button and listened to the next one. "Sawyer, I'm sorry I drove off. I know I shouldn't have done that. I know. But...call me back when you get this. I'm getting worried." Sawyer bit her lip because she felt bad that he was worried but there was a little part of her that was loving the fact that he was worried. Sawyer listened to his last message and held her phone close to her ear. "Please call me back or call Graham or Charlotte or..." His message was cut off Sawyer replayed it to make sure she hadn't accidentally messed something up but she hadn't. He didn't finish what he was going to say and now Sawyer was the worried one.

She immediately called his number and felt a wave of relief pass when he picked up.

"Hey."

Sawyer took a deep breath, "Hey."

The were both quiet for a second and Ben spoke up first, "I drove around the block to let you cool off but you were gone when I came back. I started to get worried. I left you some messages and then realized I should call Graham. I did, and he told me he and Charlotte had picked you up."

"You were worried?"

"Of course I was worried."

She took a deep breath and started to smile, "Where are you?"

"In front of the house." He'd driven to the girls' place as soon as Graham had told him they'd dropped her off.

Sawyer walked toward the front of the house and saw his car through the window, "It's unlocked."

He hung up and started to get out of his car. Ben walked down the walkway and opened up the door to see Sawyer with crossed arms and a scowl.

"You hung up on me? Really?" She arched her brow further than he'd ever seen it and he laughed.

Ben walked up to her and shook his head, "Sorry I hung up on you but _don't_ do that again." His blue eyes were looking into hers and he sighed, "I know we get into fights and that's how we work but you can't do that to me Sawyer. I didn't know where you were, or if someone had taken you... I mean Jesus, there were a thousand scenarios running in my head."

Listening to him talk about that and looking at him in his uniform made her melt. She could have argued right back that he didn't have to leave her but in the end it was what she'd wanted. "It was my fault. I was egging you on. I don't even know why we were arguing. It's a pretty well known fact that I'm a bitch."

"You're not a bitch." He took a step closer to her and shook his head.

Sawyer could smell him and the bar soap he used. "Yes I am."

Ben leaned down to kiss her and shook his head once again, "No you're not."

Her knees were about to buckle underneath her but Sawyer reached for his neck and held on as she kissed him back. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." Ben nodded and ran his hands over her hips while he kissed her.

Feeling him fumble with her zipper, Sawyer tried to undo his jacket but it was his fancy-dancy formal jacket and she pulled away laughing, "How do you get this off?"

Ben was able to get the buttons in one fail swoop and looked at her with a grin, "Like that."

Sawyer started to walk to her bedroom and finished unzipping where Ben had left off.

Looking at her with a raised brow, Ben laughed as he walked quickly toward her with a smile and a funny little grin. His jacket was off and he was working on his shirt buttons when he met Sawyer at her door. "And the moral of this story?"

Sawyer was impatient and didn't give a damn and shut him up when she kissed him. "I don't know." She opened up her bedroom door and slammed it shut.

As oddball and off the wall as it sounded, it was a growing habit with Sawyer and Ben. Fight, make up. Fight again and make up for longer. It wasn't exactly the ideal way to go about things but it settled the score, whatever the problem was. Big or small, important or ridiculous they'd fight but they'd always get over it.

And just how normal was it? The next day for lunch Charlotte walked into the restaurant and could tell that whatever her best friend and Ben had fought about had been resolved. The younger Scott looked at the older blonde and smiled, "You got everything worked out last night."

"I'm here all happy and smiles, aren't I?"

Charlotte laughed, "Ben told you to say that, didn't he? He knew you didn't want to do this stuff just like I knew you didn't."

Sawyer nodded, "But...I'm here. I have a dumb little notebook. I pulled a few magazines and I'm ready to talk about this wedding of yours." Ben hadn't actually told her to say that but whatever lesson in learning they'd dealt with last night had rubbed off on her. It was strange to say and strange to think, but fighting with him was helping her get out of her childish, selfish ways she often drew from. And if that was any indication of how he was affecting her, they had a good thing going. There was no telling if he could rid her of her Pop-Tart obsession, that seemed to be sticking around for the long haul, but in more ways than one, Ben Trammell was the guy for Sawyer Scott.

**OTHOTH**

**There's chapter five guys. Since I jumped so far ahead I had to included that flashback about the dog. For those of you who don't read Charlotte's story I figured you might be a little curious about how Sawyer ended up with a dog named trout. The next one will be moving right along and for those of you who've read LMLD, you will get your questions answered.**

**My reviewers have been nothing short of amazing. Thank you so much for all of your kind words! **

**2old4oth: Ha, yeah Ben and Graham are pretty good boyfriends but I'm sure there are guys out there like them somewhere. A diamond in the rough but there out there. I can't speak for SoCal since I don't live there and have never been but I would hope that there are some decent guys out there. Walking in Memphis will come up again and will kind of be a constant "theme" in Sawyer's story. I really only have to catch up with Charlotte's chapter and I think I'll be able to do that within the next 3 chapters. At least that's what I'm aiming for. Ha, and no,. you are not off track AT ALL about your theory on the food poisoning, but I'll leave it at that.**

**Someone Who Didn't Sign Their Name: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the chapter and how Sawyer and Ben meet each others parents.**

**Cd: I'm happy you liked their ILYs and the chapter! Thanks for the feedback!**

**Laura: Yeah, Ben definitely would show up to a Christmas Eve party with a Christmas hat. I kinda figured that it went well with his character. Bennet IS quite the character and I always have a good time writing him. I'm glad you liked Ben's dad and the trip to Memphis!**

**Joan: I was wondering if anyone would remember Ben's guitar playing from Charlotte's chapters...and you did. Yay. Like you, I think it's cute that he's a musician but not a musician. And I want to give you a massive air high five for your comment about drinking from a well of creativity. That was hilariously awesome. If only I could really do that!**

**BDavis: I'm glad you liked Lucas meeting Ben and Sawyer meeting Ben's dad. I'm glad you like Russ, and it's also great to know that this has become one of your favorites!**

**Review Please!**


	6. Last Boat Leaving

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 6: Last Boat Leaving**

**Disclaimer: Anything from One Tree Hill is not mine.**

**A/N: Whew, finally a new chapter! I know, I suck for the wait. College gets kinda crazy intense headed into the last few weeks so thanks for hanging in there, guys. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The October sky was starting to change dark and Sawyer walked into Tric with full hands. With one arm she was holding onto a box of CDs and the other a clothes bag. Going on for a while now, Tric had hosted an annual open mic night so zombies, clowns, Elvis, and any other dressed up Tree Hillian could serenade the spooky crowd with songs and music. Sawyer's Halloween costume was concealed by the bag she was holding and she was happy about that. Nobody was going to give her crap about what she was going to be dressed up as. At least not yet. The scary singing started in an hour.

There were a few patrons in the bar when Neil saw Sawyer walk in. He was wiping down the counter and flung the towel over his shoulder and laughed at her, "I don't know if it counts if you dress up as yourself?"

Sawyer rolled her eyes and held out her bag. "My costume's in here." She walked up to the bar and looked at her fellow Tric employee. He was dressed like a jailbird, black and white stripes with plastic shackles and everything. "So how'd you bust out of the clink, Neil?"

He laughed and crossed his arms, "I don't tell my secrets." He laughed at her again and looked to the stage, "Some guy was wanting to sign up for the open mic night tonight, but since he wasn't on your list and sign-ups are done I didn't know what to tell him. He's sitting over there with his guitar."

"Alright, I'll deal with him."

Sawyer started to walk towards Red Bedroom Records and Neil pointed. "What's your costume anyway?" He looked at the bag and arched his brow.

Sawyer turned over her shoulder and cut her eyes, "You'll see later." She had a sarcastic mischievousness in her eyes because what she was gonna don for the open mic night wasn't anything she would willingly want to wear. But it wasn't her choice. It had been Ben's.

_Pulling up next to the curb alongside Sawyer and Charlotte's house, Ben wasn't sure what to expect. It was October 11th, his birthday, and if Sawyer had tried to go all out and actually cook a decent meal he'd have to remember to chew and swallow with a smile, even if it was bad. He got out of the car and walked to the house and opened up the door without knocking. _

_She was pouring Trout some food he could munch on while they were out, and she smiled at her boyfriend, "Hey."_

"_Hey." Ben walked into the kitchen and saw that she already had two beers out. One for him and one for her. _

_Sawyer brushed off her hands and walked over to Ben and swiped her beer headed for the couch._

"_So what's the plan?" Ben followed Sawyer and they both sat down._

_Laughing at Ben because she wasn't a plan girl, Sawyer shrugged, "I figured we could drink these, open your present and then head out to eat. Your choice." She used her foot too scoot his present closer to his side of the coffee table and looked to him with a smirk, "And then maybe after dinner you might get lucky."_

_Ben took a swig of his beer and nodded his head, "Sounds like a good birthday to me." He leaned up to pick up the present and shook it violently._

"_Ben! What if you break it?"_

_He looked to her with regretful eyes, "Is it breakable?"_

"_Well no, but what if it was?"_

_Thinking he'd done something stupid, Ben rolled his eyes at her and reached for the card._

"_The cards nothing special but look what came in the mail today." Sawyer watched Ben open up the envelope and crossed her arms when he pulled out the coupons for bowling._

_Ben started to laugh and shook his head, "No kidding?"_

_Sawyer laughed, "Yeah, I happened to remember to get the mail and those were right on top. I thought you might appreciate it."_

_Looking over the flyer that had about four various coupons, Ben nodded and looked over to his girlfriend. "That was very thoughtful of you."_

"_Well thank the mailman next time you see him. It was all him."_

_Ben laughed again and looked at the box on his lap. Whatever it was was heavy so he looked to Sawyer with a raised brow, "And this is..."_

"_Open it up. I'm not telling you." Sawyer was pretty excited to give him the gift but as he started to unwrap it she interrupted, "But actually, you aren't allowed to use it on me."_

"_Oh-kay." He furrowed his brow and extended his word because he had no idea what it was. When the wrapping paper displayed a blank cardboard box he realized he had to open it up to see what it was. His fingers slid under the flaps and he tore through the tape like it was no problem. With the box open Ben saw a shiny black paintball gun and he was really surprised. "Holy cow, is this the new Tippmann pistol?"_

_Sawyer nodded, "Apparently it's kinda bad ass."_

_He took out the gun that was way more money than she needed to spend. "Thanks, O.J."_

_She nodded, "Kinda matches the one you wear for work." Sawyer watched him study the barrel and she knew that she'd gotten a pretty good gift. His childlike excitement and that goofy grin was better than any of his thank yous combined._

"_I can't wait to use this." Ben knew his fellow paintballers were in for a world of hurt._

_The duo talked about Ben's gun for a while and when Sawyer took their empty bottles to the trash she walked back to her boyfriend, "So where do you want to eat?"_

"_Uh..." Ben watched Trout walk towards him and he scratched the dog's back thinking about what they could do for dinner. Sitting on top of the box from his new gun, Ben saw the flyer from the bowling alley and picked it up. "How bout this?" He turned to look at Sawyer and held out the piece of paper._

"_You wanna bowl?"_

"_Sure, why not?"_

_Sawyer was expecting a nice restaurant over at Wrightsville Beach but if Ben wanted to bowl they could bowl. Whether it was a nice dinner or sticking your feet into shoes other people have worn, whatever they did would be fine with her. Ben's company was good no matter where they went. _

_Reaching for her bag, Sawyer nodded, "Okay, yeah. Game on." She watched him get up and she walked toward the door. "Bye Trout."_

_Ben leaned close to their dog and smiled, "She doesn't stand a chance." He got up and followed Sawyer out of the house and they made their way to the bowling alley._

_After they'd gotten their lane, stinky shoes, and colorful balls, Sawyer and Ben began to play. A an extra greasy but extra good pizza was sitting at their table along with the pitcher of beer. Ben had punched in their names and he was up first._

_Ben grabbed his ball and looked at Sawyer, "So what does the winner get?"_

_Narrowing her eyes she was trying to think of the things she wanted because there was a high chance she might win. Her game had gotten a lot better and Ben better be careful what they wagered. "You tell me."_

_Bad choice on her part. Ben smirked at Sawyer and nodded, "I get to drive your car back home AND pick our Halloween costumes."_

_Sawyer got a little nervous when he'd mentioned her car. Her car was her baby. Nobody drove that thing but her, or if necessary her parents. They understood how to work with an old machine and Sawyer wasn't so sure Ben could handle Ghia. But Sawyer wasn't one to pass up a challenge so she nodded. "Okay fine. You can drive my car, pick my Halloween costume, but if I win I want to pick your costume and you have to do your turkey dance at the open mic night."_

_She'd walked up close to him and Ben stuck out his hand to seal the deal. "No cheating, Sawyer." He pulled her close when she'd placed her hand in his and kissed her._

_Sawyer arched her brow and laughed, "Oh I wouldn't dare."_

_Ben laughed at her and they started their epic bowling battle and things turned sour fast. It was the best of three and when Ben clinched the first game in a blowout Sawyer knew she was in trouble. So she gave way to dirty tricks and tried to mess up Ben in any way possible. She'd cough ridiculously loud as soon as he let go of the ball, and she'd even tried to manipulate the computer but got an error sign every time. She was slowly realizing that Ben was going to win._

_When he walked up to get his ball he let his right hand hang over the air and he looked to Sawyer with a funny little smirk. He knew he was about to seal her fate and he would win their bet._

"_Don't drag this out." Sawyer was sitting behind the computer and shook her head, "Let's just get this over with."_

_Laughing Ben nodded and brushed his knuckles on his shirt._

"_Oh God." Sawyer rolled her eyes and thought about prematurely leaving and leaving him behind. But she didn't. She suffered through it and took her loss as best as she could._

_With a bit of confidence in his step, Ben walked over to Sawyer and held out his hand, "Keys please."_

_Sawyer took a deep breath and got up to rummage through her purse. She felt her keys and reluctantly placed them in Ben's hand. "And just so you know, I do have to work on Halloween so the costume has to at least be appropriate."_

_Ben nodded and tucked Sawyer's keys in his pocket so he could take off his clown shoes. _

_They returned the balls and gave back their shoes, and then Sawyer and Ben walked side by side out to the car. Sawyer sat down with a thud and immediately hated the way siting in the passenger seat felt. But then she heard him start the engine and pop the clutch. Ben eased out of the parking space and was much better at driving her old car than she thought._

"_How am I doing, O.J.?"_

_Ben shifted gears and Sawyer didn't feel one bit of a jerk. His transition was smooth and it was borderline sexy. He moved up to third gear and Sawyer swallowed hard. It wasn't borderline anymore. "You're better than I thought."_

_Looking over at her with a nod, Ben smiled, and downshifted when the light ahead of them turned red. "I know my way around a stick."_

_Sawyer closed her eyes and shook her head. He hadn't really just said that, had he?_

_Ben realized his word choice had been more than awkward and furrowed his brow. "That's not what I meant. I was talking about..."_

"_Shh..." Sawyer leaned over the passenger seat and felt them stop at the light, "Shut up." Her lips found his and that light had to be the longest red light in town, but neither of them minded._

_Red turned green and Ben had to press the gas or they were gonna hear some horns from the cars behind them. _

_Instead of heading back to the girls' house, Ben drove to his and Graham's apartment. He knew that Sawyer was curious why they were there instead of her place but she figured Ben must have gotten a text from Graham at some point. He did._

_When Ben opened the front door the lights were off but he didn't care. He knew the way to his room. After he shut the door he pulled Sawyer close and looked at her through the darkness and knew that he was lucky for having her, for loving her and that she loved him back._

_Sawyer put her arms over her shoulders and smiled through the dim light, "Happy Birthday, Ben."_

_He kissed her and pulled her towards his bedroom. On the way there he failed to see Graham's moving boxes and nearly busted his ass before they made it to the hallway. Sawyer pushed a box that was in her way with her foot. She wasn't going to let Graham's junk get in her way._

_When they got to his room Ben's shirt was off and Sawyer's quickly followed. His room was dark but they didn't have to worry about boxes in Ben's room. They had the placed mapped out like a grid. Ben's breath was hot on Sawyer's neck and she tilted her head as he kissed her while she slipped her jeans down. Ben met her pace and Sawyer looked down and started to laugh._

_Ben shook his head and kissed her, "What?"_

_Sawyer could see the little cartoons on Ben's boxers and patted his butt, "I should have gotten you some new boxers for you birthday. Do you even own solid colors."_

_He knew she knew the answer to that and he wrapped his hands around her waist and lowered her onto the bed. Her fingers roamed his back and Ben let his body press against hers. "You like my cartoon boxers. You can't even say you don't."_

_Sawyer nodded because he was right. She loved the dumb things he wore underneath his clothes. Tasmanian Devil, Popeye, Chili Peppers, whatever it was, Ben pulled it off. Sawyer even got a kick out of guessing which pair he'd wear. But liking his boxers was nothing compared to how she felt about him. Sawyer loved Ben with every fiber of her being. So much so that Sawyer had a funny little feeling that she really wouldn't care what he picked out as her costume._

Sawyer shifted the costume bag and the CDs she was carrying when she saw a young guy with a guitar case. "You the guy who wants to sing tonight?"

The guy quickly got up from his seat and nodded.

"Follow me." Sawyer and the wanna be open mic singer walked into the office and Sawyer put down the contents in her hands. "So you wanna sing?"The guy was dressed up like Frankenstein so it was a little hard to take him seriously but Sawyer was gonna do her best.

"I know I missed the deadline to sign up but I really need this, lady."

Sawyer wasn't so fond of being called lady. "Woah, okay, first off...don't call me lady. I'm only in my twenties. That word is reserved for old women who have gray hair." Sawyer pointed at her blonde locks and arched her brow, "I'm nowhere near gray."

"Sorry, sorry."

Frankenstein was looking more like Young Frankenstein and Sawyer was feeling kinda bad she'd turned on bitch mode so quickly. "What's the deal, kid? High school girlfriend broke up with you so you wanna play to get her back?"

The seventeen year old didn't know how Sawyer knew that but he nodded, "I got the costume and everything."

Sawyer was feeling a little lenient and looked at his guitar case. "Play me something."

The teenager picked up his guitar and started strumming. Sawyer didn't recognize the song at first but when the boy started to sing she did. It was "Call Your Name". It was by... Daughtry...maybe. Sawyer couldn't remember, just the fact that it has been some former Idol alum. The song was from a while ago but the kid was making it current. His octave started lower than the original but he was able to bring it up just when he needed to, and Sawyer was pretty impressed. For being young he wasn't half bad.

Sawyer liked what she was hearing and knew first hand the effect guitars had on girls. She was about to ask him what he'd done wrong in the relationship but the kid ripped the first solo and Sawyer watched him in awe. She let him finish and Sawyer crossed her arms, "What's your name, kid?"

"Joel."

"I don't know what you did to make her break up with you and it's not so much my business, but you keep playing guitar and singing like that and in five years you come back here and we'll be real close friends. Your range is kinda ridiculous and your control is better than some people on the radio."

"What about tonight?" The guy was glad that he impressed Sawyer but he needed to play tonight to get back with his girlfriend.

Sawyer laughed at him and nodded, "Hell yeah. Show starts in about thirty minutes. Go out there and tell the bartender to add you to the list. If he looks at you funny tell him Sawyer told you to."

"Thank you." The future musician took off his guitar and started to put it back in its case.

Standing up, Sawyer watched the kid pick up his case, "And I was serious about coming in here in five years. If you think you wanna sing and let your music impact other people besides the girls in your life I'll be here."

The boy nodded and extended his hand, "I'll uh, yeah, I'll think about that."

Sawyer shook Joel's hand and nodded. She watched the teenager walk out of the office and Sawyer quickly took a sticky note and wrote down his first name and stuck it in her top drawer. She had a feeling about that kid. When Sawyer closed the drawer she saw her costume bag and knew that she needed to change.

It didn't take long and she knew that no one was due in the office so she was able to quickly change into her outfit right by her desk. Her hair was up in a bun, a white sailor cap settled on her head. Sawyer was wearing bright blue pants, a yellow belt, and her upper body, arms included were padded to the extreme. Why? Because Popeye the Sailor Man had some serious arm strength. There was even a little pipe that came with her costume and Sawyer knew she looked ridiculous. Horrible even, but it was what Ben picked out. Something to do with the fact that she kept making fun of the iconic cartoon character that graced his underwear from time to time.

Checking her watch that was covered from her muscle sleeves, Sawyer knew that it was time to go back to the bar. Her friends, family, co-workers were all going to get a nice look at Sawyer in her comical outfit but a deal was a deal.

Walking out into the bar portion of Tric, Sawyer looked around and realized it was pretty hard to recognize most people. She didn't even know what Ben was gonna be wearing, probably a Ninja Turtle costume. Keith was Indiana Jones, Sawyer had spotted him as she made her way to the bar but everyone else seemed unfamiliar. Taking a seat between a Marilyn Monroe and someone with a cute but in really tight jeans, Sawyer looked at the bartender, "Neil did that Joel kid come up to you?"

Filling up a glass, Neil looked at Sawyer and started to laugh. "Can I get you some spinach?"

"Real, clever jailbird."

Neil got Sawyer a bottled water since she was on the clock and handed it to her. "I penciled him in for the third slot."

Sawyer reached for her bottled water but her new found forearm muscles knocked it over and it rolled down the bar. They cute butt guy next to her stopped it and spun around to hand it to her. "Here you go, sailor."

That voice and those eyes were two things she recognized and Sawyer took a step back to look at Ben's outfit. There was a rubber ax propped against his stool, his yellow suspenders where holding up jeans that accentuated every part of his bottom half, his red plaid shirt was long sleeved, and his fake full beard was throwing her for a loop.

She reached out and touched his face, "I've never seen you with facial hair. I kinda have always liked my guys with some scruff."

He could tell that she was enjoying his outfit and he leaned in to kissed her, purposely rubbing his faux beard on her cheek. "Anyone ever told you you make a pretty cute sailor, Sawyer?"

Sawyer smiled at Ben and shrugged. Looking at Ben and his lumberjack/Mr. Brawny getup, Sawyer had to remember to fuss at Charlotte. She'd told her best friend that she always thought Ben looked like the light haired paper towel guy and now she was seeing him in the flesh. She laughed at herself for liking his outfit so much.

Ben checked his watch and tilted his head to the stage, "Showtime, Popeye."

Sawyer made her way to the stage and introduced the first performer. When a girl dressed as a witch took the stage, Sawyer made her way back to the bar. She talked with Ben for a while until she saw Dorothy, aka Charlotte, walk towards her friends and Popeye got up to talk with her.

"You look hysterical." Charlotte's brown hair was in braids and her ruby slippers were sparkling in the lights.

Sawyer fixed her cap that was caddywhompus and bugged her eyes at Charlotte, "Did you tell Ben about my Mr. Brawny thing? He couldn't have just decided to be a lumberjack on his own?" Sawyer had maybe, probably told Charlotte that she had more than once fantasized about Ben in some plaid and she was furiously embarrassed. "Come on. You can't go telling him stuff like that."

Charlotte laughed and shook her head, "I didn't. Don't worry. I only suggested he dress up like that."

Sawyer looked to her boyfriend and felt her cheeks burn red. Really feeling in touch with her character, Sawyer raised her arms and held her fest out, "Why I oughta..."

Disregarding Sawyer's empty threat, Charlotte looked at the bar and saw one very cute lumberjack and an even cuter Egyptian pharaoh. "I see an ax man with your name on it."

The older Scott couldn't be too mad. Charlotte had managed to get Ben into a ridiculously attractive outfit and as she walked closer to him her pissed off-ness faded away.

Sawyer hung out with her friends until she had to introduce the second performer and when that guy was done she was able to introduce Young Frankenstein. She gave Joel the nod as they brushed shoulders on stage and Sawyer walked back to her friends when he started to play. Ben had snuck his arm around her waist and Sawyer listened to the young guy singing thinking this was how things were supposed to be. She wasn't one for plans but five years from now Joel would be a recording artist for Red Bedroom Records. Sawyer looked to her right and knew that Dorothy and the Egyptian Pharaoh would be married with at least two kids. Charlotte and Graham did always want a big family and their wedding was ten months away. India Jones had a new girlfriend but Sawyer could see Keith settling down with her in a couple years time. And then there was Ben. Mr. Brawny himself. Sawyer wasn't much for marriage and was more or less repulsed by the idea of kids, but looking at Ben, Sawyer knew that those ideas might change. In five years Ben would be by her side and if there was a ring on her finger or babies mixed in there too she might get used to the idea. It didn't sound so bad.

**OTHOTH**

It was early February now. The cold was bitter and unforgiving but Sawyer and Ben's relationship was thawing it out. They'd been going strong for a year and a half and things had never been better. They still fought about the little things but it was never anything worth holding on to. They still got on each other's nerves but they loved each other more. Sawyer and Ben were simply Sawyer and Ben.

They were both going through his dresser because they were packing. No, they weren't moving in together, but they were packing. Both of them. Ben had to leave for a mission on the Diligence and Sawyer was flying to L.A. His trip was gonna last longer. He was supposed to leave in the morning for twenty days while Sawyer was taking a five day business trip in two weeks. Her mom was letting her fly solo to try and sign new talent. They were gonna be on opposite sides of the country in a short amount of time.

"This one?" Sawyer pulled out one of his t-shirts and thought it would work just fine for comfortable pajamas. It wasn't that she was lacking in that department but if he was going to be patrolling the Atlantic while she was by the shore of the Pacific, she might as well take something so he could tag along, something that would smell like him. She didn't tell him that of course. She wanted to have something that would make them feel a little bit closer together while they were apart.

"Yeah, sure. Take it." Ben nodded and folded his pants while Sawyer folded her shirt.

She tossed Ben's shirts by her keys so she would remember to grab it in the morning. They'd finished eating dinner and they were just about settled in for his last night on land but as always, he had to pack last minute.

After Ben placed his pants in his bag he did a run through and made sure he had everything he'd need. Sawyer had walked over to turn on some music and he looked over his shoulder, "Hey will you check to see if I grabbed my toothbrush."

"Yeah." Sawyer walked into the bathroom and opened up the mirrored cabinet. Instead of seeing his toothbrush first, the blonde saw a little black box. It was a little black box that made Sawyer's heart stop. She quickly shut the cabinet and looked at her reflection. Her face had lost it's color and she furrowed her brow. That little black box was not _the_ little black box, was it? She slowly opened the cabinet again and her stomach flipped when she saw it. "Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit." Sawyer spotted the toothbrush and quickly reached for it trying to dismiss the image of that sparkly ring holder.

Ben saw Sawyer walk out of the bathroom and he took his toothbrush from her with a grin but noticed her strange look. "You okay, Sawyer?"

"Uh..." Sawyer didn't want to flat out tell him that 'By the way I saw a little black box in the cabinet that may or may not, but probably holds some kind of engagement ring and if, and if you propose I don't know what I'll do'. But she didn't. She rethought it through her head and figured she might as well fess up. "That box in there? I got your toothbrush and I saw..."

Ben smiled and started to walk in and get it. He picked up the square box and held it out in his hand. "You know what this is?"

Sawyer could feel heart start to race, "I have a pretty good idea."

Cracking open the box, Ben pulled out the old tarnished coin. "I got this when I was in the Academy. One of my professors gave it to me." Ben twirled the coin between his fingers. "The guy was a real jerk until you got to know him."

Sawyer's heart had quit pounding when she realized she was wrong about what was in the box, but she didn't know if she was happy she was wrong or disappointed.

"I was convinced that I wasn't cut out for school after my first semester. My grades weren't that good and the program was grueling." Ben turned the coin so the Oath of Reenlistment was showing, "Captain Newman pulled me aside and talked some sense into me. And when he was done he flipped me this coin."

Looking at the coin in Ben's palm, Sawyer grinned, "And now you keep it in in your bathroom?"

Laughing Ben nodded, "I figured it's the last place anyone one would look for something valuable. I don't want to keep it locked up in a safe so..."

"Is it lucky?"

Ben held out the coin and studied the anchors, "Might be? I've never really used it for that."

Sawyer was sort of interested in seeing if the old thing carried any kind of luck with it. "Heads I seal the deal with the band in L.A., tails I come home empty handed."

The Coastie flipped the coin in the air and caught it in his fist. Ben gave Sawyer a smile before he revealed the coin and then he opened his hand.

"Damn." Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "That didn't go as planned."

Ben tucked the coin back in its box and looked to his girlfriend, "Don't worry, O.J. I have a feeling you're gonna be just fine in California." He moved to her to kiss her forehead and went back to put the box back in the bathroom.

It was nice hearing him say that and Sawyer felt even better when she heard his phone ring. She hurried to the bedside table and looked at his phone and answered it.

"Hey Russ."

Mr. Trammell wasn't surprised that Sawyer answered Ben's phone and he smiled, "Hi there, Sawyer. You two getting ready for your trips?"

Sawyer had a big soft spot for Ben's dad and loved talking to him. "We are. Ben just finished getting his stuff together."

Ben had walked out of the bathroom and rolled his eyes with a smile, "It wasn't all last minute though." He'd yelled loud enough so his dad might be able to hear him.

Russ had been able to make out a little of what his son had said and he laughed in Sawyer's ear, "I'm glad you're keeping him on his toes. Most of the time he's pretty lazy about this kind of stuff."

Smiling while glancing at her boyfriend, Sawyer shook her head and changed her to to sarcastic, "No, Ben?"

Mr. Trammell started laughing and had walked out on the porch to glance up at the Tennessee sky, "What about you, Sawyer? Are you ready for L.A."

"I think so. Ben and I just flipped his old coin to see how it would end up and it doesn't look so good."

"Oh don't worry about that old thing." Russ sat down on one of the old rocking chairs and started to say back and forth, "I think you've got a pretty good handle on things when it comes to music. And you can always sign me if you run out of talent."

Sawyer laughed and nodded, "You know, I just might." Music was fun to talk about but Sawyer was curious about Mr. Trammell's job. "How are those new calves you were telling me about last week?"

Ben wasn't sure why his father and Sawyer got along so well but there was a huge part of him that really liked it. He walked out to the kitchen to grab something sweet and Trout sauntered into the kitchen. Sawyer and brought him over for his last night and he'd been asleep by the door. "Hey, Trout." Ben patted the dog's side and smiled at him, "You look after her when I'm gone, alright?" Trout started wagging his tail and Ben took that as a yes. Deepening his voice and adding a goofy tone, Ben spoke for the dog, "Okay, will do, Dad. Will do." Ben had gotten himself a fudgesicle and walked back into his bedroom.

"I know. He's kind of gotten me into this whole baseball thing. The charity game is next month and opening season starts in April, doesn't it?"

Russ knew that Sawyer's family was nearly a basketball dynasty but enjoyed the fact that his son was able to turn her eyes to baseball. "Maybe this summer we can all go to a game. I can't remember the last time we did that."

Sawyer liked the idea and looked to her boyfriend, "I think he'd like that."

"Like what?" Ben sat next to Sawyer and bit into his ice-cream.

Noticing the chocolate that was smeared on the corner of his lips, Sawyer laughed, "I was thinking about handing the phone over but I'm not sure Ben can multi-task." Lowering her voice in a sarcastic whisper, Sawyer smiled at Ben, "You see, Russ. He has a chocolate fudgesicle and if I hand him the phone he might make a disastrous chocolate mess."

Mr. Trammell laughed and agreed with his son's girlfriend, "I think you're probably right about that, Sawyer."

Ben cut his eyes and reached for his phone, "Give me that." Sawyer was laughing and Ben placed his phone up to his ear, "Hey, Dad."

"Now you be careful if you've got ice cream in hand. I know how you get."

Ben rolled his eyes and bit into his fudgesicle again. "Whatever." He laughed and started talking with his father. They spoke about the patrol, spring training down in Orlando, the farm, and other bits of random things before saying goodbye. Catching a glimpse of the clock, Ben knew that he needed to say goodbye to his dad because he had to be at the dock at 6:00am, bright and early. "I'll call you in a few days when we're settled on the water."

Russ nodded, "Alright, you be careful out there, Ben."

"Yes sir, I will." Ben nodded just as his father had done, "Love you, Pop."

"Love you too, son."

"Bye, Russ!" Sawyer leaned over to the phone and spoke loud enough so Ben's dad could hear her.

Smiling, Mr. Trammell nodded his head, "Bye, Sawyer."

Ben and his father hung up at the same time and Ben leaned back on his bed. "Ugh, I don't want to get up early tomorrow."

Sawyer laughed and laid down next to him. "Me either."

He put his arm around her side and closed his eyes, "Is the alarm set?"

Nodding as she leaned into his chest, Sawyer answered him, "Yeah."

They both ended up falling asleep but Sawyer had been wrong. The alarm wasn't set. She was the first to wake up and by some lucky chance it was early. Way too early for her but she first cracked her eyes open at 5:47am. The sun hadn't come up yet so it was still dark outside and Sawyer thought it was later than it was until she saw the clock. Her eyes bugged and she looked at Ben who was snoring so loud she was surprised she'd even gotten to bed in the first place. "Shit, shit, shit, Ben!" Sawyer pushed on his side, "Get up! We slept in!"

Ben was slow to come around but when he saw Sawyer in a frantic pace he sat up so fast he got dizzy. "What time is it?"

"We have less than fifteen minutes."

"Shit!" He flung the covers off his body and threw his clothes off to change into his uniform as fast as he could. "What happened to the alarm?"

"I don't know." Sawyer flung her her shirt over her head and shrugged, "I don't know. I guess we forgot to set it."

Ben fastened his belt and shook his head, "I asked you last night, Sawyer. Dammit."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Sawyer pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail and grabbed her keys. "I can get there in ten minutes."

Irked that she'd didn't set the alarm, he got his bag and held his socks and shoes so he could put them on in the car. "Come on, lets go."

Sawyer and Ben ran out of the apartment and hurried to her car. Her dangerous but always speedy driving habits were holding true to her word and she was gonna be able to get them downtown in ten minutes. Maybe even less.

Ben had forgotten how small her car was so putting on his socks and shoes had been a task but he'd done it somehow.

Nearly screeching to a halt at the end of Water Street, Sawyer put her car in park and watched him open up his door. "Bye."

Ben was in such a hurry that he sort of mumbled a goodbye and pulled his bag out of the back. Sawyer watched him run to the boat out of her rear view mirror until he disappeared in the blind spot. The top was up so her view behind her wasn't that good and Sawyer checked the side mirror. She leaned over to see if her angle would get better but then she heard a tap on her window. Turning to look, she had a bad feeling it was a cop telling her this was not a parking zone, but instead of a police uniform she saw a Coast Guard one. Sawyer started to feel her heart race and she cranked her window down.

Leaning into the window, Ben kissed her. When he pulled away he looked at her clock on the dash, "I have a minute left."

Sawyer started to smile and wanted to apologize for making him late. "I'm sorry I forgot to set the alarm."

He kissed her again and shook his head, "I should have checked it too." Ben's lips landed on hers again and he gave her a goofy grin, "Have fun in L.A. I'll call you or get on the computer when I can." It was raining Ben kisses because he gave her another one, "I'm sorry I'm missing Valentine's Day."

Shaking her head, Sawyer laughed and rolled her eyes, "I don't even like Valentine's Day."

Ben nodded and kissed her again, "I know." His blue eyes were looking in to hers and he smiled, "I love you."

"I love you too." This time she leaned through the window and kissed him. "I'll see you when you get back."

He smiled and picked up his bag, "Bye, O.J."

Sawyer watched Ben run to his boat and she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. How did she have a guy like that, how did he put up with her, and how on Earth had Sawyer ever thought that marrying somebody was ridiculous? Nobody knew the exact answers to those questions but Sawyer's whole way of thinking was being skewed by a guy named Ben. He was the kind of guy she needed, the kind of guy she wanted and the kind of guy she could love forever.

**OTHOTH**

Ben had been gone for twelve days and now it was time for Sawyer to leave town. She had her suitcase packed and she was waiting on her ride to the airport. Her first option was Charlotte because she was responsible enough to get Sawyer to the airport early but with Charlotte and Graham dealing with wedding stuff she figured she'd get someone else to do it. But he was late. Her younger brother was most often punctual but he picked a really bad day to quit that habit.

A minute had passed and Sawyer heard Keith's old Corvette before she saw it. He pulled up next to the house and Sawyer walked to him with a scowl. She put her suitcase in the trunk and sat down in the passenger seat. "You're late."

"Good morning to you too." Keith looked at his sister with raised eyebrows, "And I was only _two_ minutes late."

"If I miss my plane it's your fault."

That wasn't going to happen because Keith had driving skills very much like his sister and he even had a faster car. He turned toward the airport and looked at his sister, "So who is this band you're going to see?"

"The Pilot Phillips Project."

Keith looked at his sister with a laugh, "Is the lead singer's name Pilot?"

Sawyer nodded, "It's a nickname but I think Pilot Phillips sounded better than Ned Phillips."

"Yeah."Keith nodded and stopped at a red light, "Mom said they were pretty good."

"Really good. I'm not going out there for nothing."

Just to get under his sister's skin, Keith nodded, "And she also said that if you mess this up I get to take over Red Bedroom Records."

"Yeah right. You don't know the first thing when it comes to this."

"I could learn."

Sawyer never imagined anyone but herself running the label and while she could appreciate Keith's ambition it was her job and always would be. "Only if I die."

"Well jeez, way to be morbid." The traffic was minimal and Keith pulled up next to the airport and stopped the car.

Opening up her door, Sawyer looked at her brother and nodded, "Thanks for the ride. Tell mom and dad I'll call them when I land."

"See you later, Sawyer." Keith nodded and watched his sister get her bag.

"Bye, little brother."

Sawyer walked away from the car and into the airport. She made it through security and boarded her flight headed to L.A. She had a connecting flight that ran through Atlanta and she sent Ben an email with a picture of her next to a Braves advertisement. She didn't know when he'd get it but she knew he'd like it. When she landed in L.A. Sawyer had thought the airline lost her luggage but somehow it appeared on the luggage belt just before she started to raise hell. She was staying in a hotel downtown and her first two days in town were simply for scouting purposes. Hit the local bars and music venues to see if there was anyone worth looking into. The Pilot Phillips Project was playing Thursday night at Hotel Cafe so Sawyer was free to roam L.A. her first couple of days.

She was relatively successful her first night. Sawyer had given two solo artist her card and chatted up a band about potentially signing but nothing was a done deal. Without her mom's stamp of approval she couldn't sign anyone on the spot except for Pilot's band.

The second afternoon, Sawyer visited Irvine Park and made notes while listening to a few cds she'd bought at Amoeba Music. If she hadn't been careful she could have spent her entire day there. But after picking up more than a few CDs, Sawyer took a cab to the park. The weather in LA was really nice for mid to late February and Sawyer was busy listening to new artists until her phone started to ring. She had hoped that it was Ben but it was her mom.

"Hey." Sawyer tucked her phone in between her shoulder and ear as she opened up a new CD.

"Hey, hows it going?"

Sawyer had to use her teeth to split the wrapper on the CD and nodded, "Good. I spent about five hours in Amoeba today."

Peyton laughed and nodded. She knew Sawyer was gonna love the music store. She had. Whenever she had to go to L.A. Peyton made a point in stopping by. "How much damage did you do?"

Looking at her bag full of music and shrugged, "Uh, you know..."

"That much, huh?" Peyton was sitting in the studio back at home and spun around in her chair to look at the records on the wall. "The band's drummer called me today to confirm the meeting tomorrow night."

Sawyer had her computer out and on so she switched over to the calendar, "Yep, Hotel Cafe, eight o'clock."

"The guy was pretty laid back so I think we're gonna have real shot with them if things go well."

Nodding, Sawyer agreed, "I think so too." She smiled and laughed into the phone. "I'm a pretty smooth talker and I've got the company card. I can buy them drinks all night."

Peyton liked Sawyer's confidence but there was a little hesitation, "Don't over do it though. They're not gonna want to think your buying them."

"I won't." Sawyer nodded and heard the beep that told her she and another incoming call. She looked and saw the Diligence's number. "That's Ben calling."

Knowing that Ben had limited calls per day, Peyton nodded, "Alright, I'll call you later. Tell Ben I say hey."

Sawyer wanted her mom to hurry up and quit talking. "Yeah, okay bye." She pressed the correct button on her phone and listened to the operator tell her that the United States Coast Guard Cutter Diligence was calling and if she could accept. "Yes." Sawyer heard the line transfer and then she heard his voice.

"Hey, Sawyer."

"Hey." Her cheeks turned a little red when she heard him. They hadn't been able to talk for a week due to bad weather on the Eastern Seaboard.

"How's L.A.?"

Looking up into the beating sun, Sawyer nodded, "Good. Sunny."

"Yeah? I think I'm jealous." Ben laughed because the gray sky that was hanging over his head wasn't as pleasant. "Our weather's clearing up though. We're supposed to have blue skies the rest of our patrol."

"That's good. How's it going out there?"

Ben nodded, "Good. We caught a boat yesterday who was poaching. I got to draw my gun and everything."

"Mmm, sounds like you're having a memorable trip."

"Yeah. What about you? Found the next big thing out there?"

Sawyer had seen some good bands so she nodded, "Maybe.

Knowing that Sawyer was more than good at what she did, he had a good idea that she'd come back home with a handful of numbers and contacts. "The main show is Friday?"

Shaking her head, Sawyer corrected him, "Tomorrow. It's my big sell. I gotta pull out all the stops."

"They're gonna sign with you the minute you open your mouth."

"And why are you so sure?"

Ben shrugged and looked out at the waters that were calm after the storms that had passed, "It's what you do, O.J. Your mom might be the only other person who is as good at getting people to believe you can make their music matter. And it's not because you make them _think_ you can, it's because you _do_ and you _will_."

He probably wasn't trying to give her a little pep talk but Sawyer was taking it that way and felt even more confident. "We'll see."

"Trammell, time's up."

Ben looked over his shoulder and sighed into the phone. "I gotta go."

Never a fan of their short conversations, Sawyer nodded, "I'll see you in a few days."

Three days still Sawyer got home and two until Ben did, he nodded. "Bye."

Sawyer hung up her phone with a sigh. She tossed her phone in her purse and tried to keep music on her mind but she couldn't lie to herself. She was so caught up in Ben that it was ridiculous.

The time had flown and the sky was turning pink as the sun started to go down, and Sawyer hailed a cab to head back to her hotel. She got a good nights rest and the next night she was ready to work her magic. Putting on a cute top and her best pair of jeans, Sawyer made her way to Hotel Cafe and got herself a nice little table to watch the band play. The opening act was about to come on and she saw four guys walk toward her. They were the members of the Pilot Phillips Project."

"You're Sawyer, right?"

Recognizing the guys from their pictures, Sawyer nodded, "Yeah, Sawyer Scott. Red Bedroom Records." She held out her hand to motion for them to join her.

The one with dark horned rimmed glasses introduced himself, "I'm Pilot. This is Greg our bassist, Mud's the drummer, and Vance plays the keys."

"Nice to meet you guys." Sawyer already knew they had the names for rockstars and things were starting off on a good foot. "I was listening to the demo record this morning and I was wondering if you were gonna play 'Jackrabbit' live?"

Mud looked at the rest of the guys and nodded, "If you want us too."

"Yeah. I love that hook and the way you change the tone when the guitar slides into the bar chords."

The young girl at first glance didn't seem like a seasoned music producer or record label know it all but after hearing her simply say that Vance was already convinced, "We recorded that song in one take."

"Really?" Sawyer saw a waitress approach and she looked around to the guys, "Y'all want a drink before you go on?"

Twenty-something year old rockers were never going to deny that. Sawyer ordered drinks and looked at Pilot, "How'd y'all get your start?"

Looking to his left, Pilot tilted his head toward his keyboard player, "Vance and I went to Berklee together. Ended up coming out here and met Mud and Greg."

"I went to Berklee. When did you graduate?" Sawyer laughed because it was a small world.

"Two...years ago." Vance had to pause because he wasn't exactly sure. It felt like they'd been playing gigs for years now.

Realizing that they'd graduated behind her, Sawyer nodded, "Good school, right?"

The lights went down and the opening act walked on stage but Sawyer wasn't interested in that singer, she was curious about this band. Then the harmonica started. A familiar strum pattern echoed through the room and Sawyer froze.

Pilot looked at their opening act and then to Sawyer, "He's a Berklee grad too."

"Holy shit." Sawyer's eyes met a pair of hazel eyes that had done her wrong on so many occasions.

"This one is for a girl I let slip away."

Every hair on Sawyer's body stood up and she swallowed hard. His hair was longer, his scruff was the same as it had been in college, and that old guitar he loved more than her looked just as tacky as ever. The sunburst wasn't pretty and the chrome finish around the body was reflecting poorly in the light but Sawyer couldn't take her eyes away from the guy. She'd only been interrupted when Greg leaned over to her.

"He's pretty good. You might want to look into him too."

As the "Honey I've Been Thinking About You" cover floated through the room, Sawyer looked at Greg with a half laugh, "We already know each other."

The music died down when the musician finished his song he looked out into the crowd who were applauding, "Thank you very much. Thanks. My name's Dillon Holder and I'm gonna play a few tunes for you before Pilot and the boys take the stage." A louder roar came from the audience and he nodded. "This next one is a song I wrote in college. I went to school in Boston." He tuned his guitar a half step down and laughed, "It rained a lot up there." He smiled when he got a few laughs because when it rained in LA people freaked out. "This next song is one I wrote in college. I had a songwriting class and one of my assignments was to write about whatever you pulled from a hat. So all of the students pulled from our professors hat and you know what I pulled?"

Under her breath Sawyer answered, "A pillow."

"A pillow. Write about a damn pillow. " Dillon laughed and strummed his guitar to make sure it was tuned correctly. "This one's called 'My Big Fluffy Marshmallow that Smells like Suave Men's Shampoo'." That got another laugh out of the crowd and he shook his head, "No, I'm kidding. This one is 'Where I Lay My Head'."

The last person on the face of the planet that Sawyer ever wanted to see again was standing on stage and signing straight into her heart. She'd built a wall so high and so thick because of him. Only one person was able to break that barrier but she was as good as gone when it came to Dillon and his damn guitar. And he knew it too.

"We better head to the back to get ready."

Sawyer had heard one of the guys say that and only nodded. Dillon's voice was ringing through her ears and she tried to block it out. The best thing would have been to leave but she couldn't. Sawyer was working and she wasn't going to run away from an opportunity because of her lousy ex. Sawyer had grown a lot since her college days and she could forget about Dillon.

But it has been really hard. Dillon had played six songs and every single one of them felt like he was singing straight to her. Sawyer avoided eye contact as much as she could and she was able to breathe easy when he left the stage.

It was when she saw him walking up to her table with two drinks that made her even more nervous and filled with hate that she only scowled at him.

Dillon set down her drink and sat down, "Been a while, huh?"

Sawyer shook her head and pushed the drink towards him, "I don't want your drink and I really don't want to talk to you. I despise the very ground you walk on."

"I know." Dillon pushed the drink back to her and looked apologetic, "Consider this a peace treaty."

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head, "Peace treaty? There will be no peace, no treaty, no nothing Dillon. You're an asshole."

"Sawyer..." Dillon rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink. He was gonna talk with her even if she wouldn't forgive him. "Looks like your doing well with the studio."

Sawyer cut her eyes. Did he not get the picture? "Yeah. I am."

"How's your mom?"

"Like you care." Sawyer shook her head and laughed, "You're just asking because you want to sign."

Dillon laughed and shook his head, "We'd kill each other if that happened."

"Damn straight, and my foot is dangerously close to your groin so..."

"I was an idiot. I was young and chasing after a dream instead of running after you. I know that Sawyer. And I'm sorry I left you." Dillon took a deep breath, "And I'm sorry that I cheated on you. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I was only looking out for myself."

"And your penis."

Dillon laughed because Sawyer hadn't changed one bit, "You're right. And I don't deserve you but I wanted to apologize."

Sawyer wasn't liking the way he was making her feel so she took a sip of that drink to steady her nerves.

"We were good friends once. Remember that?" Dillon nodded, "It was about the music. The real stuff. Not the shitty stuff they play on the radio but the real deal."

"Dillon...why are you saying all this?"

He shrugged and looked up to some girls who'd walked over to the table.

"Can we get a picture."

"In a minute." Dillon looked back to Sawyer and took a deep breath, "Because when the guys told me you were coming to watch them play I wanted to get the chance to talk."

Sawyer had already noticed that he'd changed when he told those fans to go away. When they were younger he would have jumped at the opportunity. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know? That we can be friends. So that I can think about calling you when I have a new song idea and you can tell me the honest truth if it's worth finishing or if it's shit."

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head with a smile, "None of your music is shit, Dillon. You know that." She took another swig of her drink and found his hazel eyes hard not to get lost in. The spots of brown and green hadn't changed since college and Sawyer was starting to think being friends was possible.

Pilot and the boys took the stage and she and Dillon had a nice time listening to the band. He was able to give her inside information about the potential Red Bedroom Records recording artists, and they enjoyed the show. She was hitting it pretty heavy on the alcohol but Sawyer had a high tolerance for most people.

When the band had finished their set and joined Sawyer at the table with Dillon, Sawyer pulled out a contract and handed them a pen. Pilot, Mud, Greg and Vance all signed on the dotted line and they celebrated with a round of shots.

A good idea turned bad when Sawyer was starting to feel herself get sloppy. She knew it was time to stop before she made a fool of herself and stood up and held out her hand. "Guys, it's been a fun night and I'm excited to see where this partnership goes. I'll call you tomorrow."

Dillon had been around Sawyer to know that when you could _tell_ she got drunk she was _really_ drunk. He stood and walked to the door with her. "Let me get you a cab."

"What happened to you? Why are you being so nice?"

Knowing a lot of it had to do with the fact that he'd changed after he'd let her slip away, Dillon only shrugged, "I grew up."

Sawyer took a deep breath, "Good luck with everything, Dillon."

A yellow cab pulled up to the curb and Sawyer got in but she smacked her head when she slid into the seat. "Ow."

Checking his watch, Dillon realized how late it had gotten and he walked to the other side of the cab. "What hotel are you in?" Sawyer mumbled her hotel and Dillon told the cabbie where to go.

When they approached the doors Dillon gave the cab driver money and got Sawyer out of the car.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She was walking away from him and didn't like the fact that he was helping her.

"Just let me get you to your room, Sawyer."

Stopping mid-step, Sawyer turned to Dillon and pointed her finger in his chest, "If you think for one second that your getting in my pants you better turn around."

He shook his head, "I just want to get you to your room and then I'll go."

The two old flames walked to the elevators and silently rode up to Sawyer's floor. They approached Sawyer's door and she looked at him, "Well...thanks. Bye." Sawyer pulled out her key and dropped the card and Dillon picked it up.

Sawyer leaned against the wall and watched him get her card. Before he handed it to her he took a step closer and studied her face noticing the subtle changes time had made.

"Don't..." Sawyer knew what was coming and if she didn't stop him he would kiss her. "Don't take advantage of me."

He couldn't resist himself so he leaned in to kiss her. It was like they'd been flown through time.

"Dillon..." Sawyer put her hands on his chest and pushed him away. "I have a boyfriend."

Leaning closer to kiss her again he nodded, "I bet you do."

Sawyer was feeling herself giving in to temptation and she shook her head, "He's... a really good guy."

Dillon looked at Sawyer and wrapped his hands around her waist, "I can be a good guy."

At that point Sawyer was defenseless. Her past and the alcohol didn't mix well because Sawyer's judgment had been clouded with memories of times when she and Dillon had been happy. When he wasn't an asshole who smashed her heart into little bitty pieces. And the worse part was that he wasn't only messing with her life now. If Dillon finished this thing he'd started he was taking someone else down with her. Sawyer was one thing but Ben didn't even have a chance. He was thousands of miles away and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

**OTHOTH **

**So y'all think Sawyer went through with it or did she quickly sober up and kick Dillon in the balls when they got inside her room? And whatever does end up happening how is Ben gonna find out/ react? Next chapter we'll see the aftermath.**

**My reviewers are still Awesome with a capital A. The feedback fell last chapter but for those of you who still reviewed I am incredibly grateful. It means a lot to get those little messages!**

**Joan: I'm glad you enjoyed the throwbacks from last chapter. I always try to put a lot of those into my stories. I know you were nervous/excited about what happened in this chapter but the waters are still a little muddy so you might still have questions. Hope you liked it!**

**BDavis: Throwing in the food competition was something I thought might be kinda nice to add in. Change things up a bit and give Ben a reason to interact with Lucas and Keith. Yeah their little fight after the banquet wasn't the one that you thought it might be. It was just showing how they do fight and make up. Haha, and yes, I have heard Avril Lavigne's Smile. I like that song and can see where you get a Sawyer kick but I kinda think "Wish You Were Here" kinda makes me think of Sawyer. **

**Laura: Well I'm glad you like it when I feature the town of Tree Hill. I visited Wilmington a couple years ago and loved it, so that's probably why I include the city a lot.**

**2old4oth: You're right. Sawyer is a bit of spoiled brat and you're right again, it is part of her character. She's probably not so much spoiled as a brat but she's definitely got her own 'my way or the highway' thing going. I'm glad you liked the bbq part though. And now reading your review I'm craving it, ha.**

**dontleavetonight: I'm not sure what those little symbols mean but I'll taken them as a compliment. I'm glad you liked the chapter!**

_**Please Review!**_


	7. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 7: Deep Dark Truthful Mirror**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer Scott is not my character. Nor are her parents. Neither is Brooke.  
**

**A/N: I'm back! You guys are gonna see how the night with Sawyer and Dillon ended and the aftermath that unfolds. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

Charlotte pulled up to the airport and saw Sawyer waiting by the curb with Ellie's old leather jacket wrapped around her lanky frame. There was a puff of smog that came from Sawyer's breath and Charlotte attributed it to the cold weather but it wasn't the weather, it was smoke. And if Sawyer was smoking something had her stressed out.

As the younger brunette got closer to her cousin, she noticed the dark sun glasses that shielded Sawyer's blue eyes and Charlotte knew something was up.

Quickly putting out her cigarette when she saw Charlotte's car, Sawyer took a deep breath and grabbed her bag. She hated the way her mouth tasted and it wasn't just because of the drag she'd had to steady her nerves when she landed in Tree Hill. It didn't matter how many times she'd brushed her teeth she still felt like Dillon was lingering.

When Charlotte stopped her car in front of Sawyer the blonde quickly put her bag in and then silently slid into the passenger seat.

Knowing something was off, Charlotte looked at Sawyer and could see the tear stains on her cheeks. "What's wrong?"

Sawyer knew that she was going to ask that question and as she rested her head on the cool window and she simply shook it. No. Things were not good and they were only going to get worse. Sawyer swallowed hard trying to forget the entire trip to L.A. But her memories were the only thing she seemed to think about.

_The morning after Sawyer had successfully signed The Pilot Phillips Project to Red Bedroom Records, she started to shift in the bed and wake up. Before she opened her eyes she felt her head spinning and then the body next to her. She didn't even know where she was._

"_Ben...move." Sawyer raised her hand to her face and slowly cracked open an eye. The colors of the walls didn't match her room in Tree Hill and it didn't match Ben's bedroom either. But more unfamiliar than the color of the wall was the sound the person next to her was making; more so, the fact that he wasn't making noise at all. The warm body next to her was quietly sleeping and when Sawyer realized that she wasn't listening to Ben's loud snores she started to understand what was going on- what had gone on._

_Clutching the sheets that covered her bare chest, Sawyer's eyes got wide and she shook her head. "No, no, no." She was being quiet but the guy next to her started to squirm. His shaggy hair was dark against the pillow and Sawyer's heart fell to her toes. They hadn't, had they? Sawyer peeked under the sheet and considering she was naked, it gave it away._

"_Shit." This time Sawyer wasn't quiet and she winced when her pounding head gained intensity. Dillon was starting to wake up but the girl had turned her body and pressed her feet against the musician's back. "Get. Out." It only took three good tries and Sawyer had successfully rolled Dillon off the bed._

"_Ugh..." Dillon hit the floor hard and slowly got up. He looked to the bed and scratched his head, "Dammit, what the hell, Sawyer?"_

_Bug eyed, Sawyer hung her mouth open, "What the hell? What the hell to you!" She quickly got out of the bed and rolled the sheet around her body, cringing because she felt like she'd been run down by an 18 wheeler. She saw his clothes scattered on the floor and threw them at his face. "You're a piece of shit from hell."_

"_That's not what you were saying last night." Dillon grabbed his jeans and slipped them on with a smirk._

_The reality of the situation was hitting her smack in the face. Sawyer couldn't even remember last night. "Get. The. Hell out of here. Dillon!"_

_With his shirt flung over his shoulder, the Berklee rocker grabbed his shoes and walked to the door. "How long are you in t..."_

_Sawyer didn't let the scum bag finish what he was saying and slammed the door in his face. Turning around she saw her scattered clothes on the floor and was getting a mental image of what had happened last night. She picked up her shirt and clutched it in her hands as she shook her head. She didn't get upset about a lot of things but when Sawyer's chin started to quiver she knew that she couldn't blame Dillon, she couldn't blame the alcohol, she could only blame herself. And then she thought about Ben on a boat out on the Atlantic and Sawyer sat down on the bed and cried. A sob that lasted longer than she would like to tell._

_If there was one thing in her life she'd been certain of it was the way she'd felt about Ben Trammell. She knew that he was the guy for her and she'd just ruined everything._

Sawyer felt Charlotte stop at a red light and she took a deep breath as she turned to her cousin. "I...I slept with someone."

Charlotte had her hands on the wheel and she furrowed her brow not believing Sawyer, "What?"

"I really messed up." Sawyer felt her eyes water and she shook her head, "The night I signed the band we all started drinking and I ended up in bed with the opening act."

"Sawyer..." Charlotte's big brown eyes grew large out of shock.

"I know. I know. I know, okay. I know." Sawyer wiped her cheek and looked down, "If I could take it back I would. If I could erase ever seeing him, letting him kiss me and kissing him back then I would. But I can't."

Charlotte got the sinking feeling that this person Sawyer slept with was someone she knew. She furrowed her brow and shook her head because it couldn't have been him. "It wasn't..."

"Yeah." Sawyer knew what her cousin was gonna ask and the blonde nodded in response, "He opened for the band and I started drinking and then the next thing I know I'm waking up naked."

Gasping, Charlotte's eyes were as big as saucers, "Sawyer..."

"Would you stop saying my name like that?" She hadn't meant to come off so defensive but she knew exactly how bad she'd messed up. "I know I screwed up, Charlotte. I had two airplane rides to think about it. And during this last one the flight attendant had to ask me if I was okay, okay?" Sawyer sniffed and took a deep breath as she aimlessly looked out of the widow. She smeared a tear across her face and it stung against her raw cheek, "And Ben comes home in two days." Her voice had grown quiet when she'd said that.

Realizing just how bad things were going to get, Charlotte knew she was going to be in the middle of a very unfortunate situation. Her future husband was best friends with Ben. Best friends. But Sawyer was _her_ best friend, her cousin; _family_. Whether Sawyer was right or wrong she was going to need someone to support her and Charlotte knew that things were going to get complicated fast.

"He's gonna hate me." Sawyer blinked her eyes shut and swallowed with a soft whispered. "_Hate_ me."

Charlotte didn't exactly know what to say because Ben was going to be upset. He was going to be more than upset. "Maybe he'll get past it?" Charlotte nodded and tried to say the most positive thing she could think of, "Ben's a good guy. He'll know it was a mistake. He loves you."

Convinced of the opposite, Sawyer stared out the window and stayed silent until Charlotte pulled up to her house.

"You want me to come in?"

Opening her door, Sawyer shook her head, "No, I'll be fine." She grabbed her suitcase from the car and shrugged, "I think I want to be alone."

"Okay. Call me tomorrow." Charlotte could tell that Sawyer was going to beat herself up about this for a while.

Sawyer was already heading to the front door and waved her hand in the air to acknowledge Charlotte. When she got her keys out, she heard her friend's car drive away and Sawyer rested her head on the door for a moment. But that moment passed and Sawyer walked into the house and was greeted by a stumbling, bumbling golden retriever that she shared with her boyfriend. One look at Trout and Sawyer burst into tears.

Her cheeks were stinging with the watery lines that ran down her face, and as she left her suitcase by the front door she knelt down to the dog and smiled through her heartache. "Hey, boy." The always excited to see her dog nudged his nose into her chest and Sawyer shook her head. "Ugh, Trout I messed up."

The phone started to ring and Sawyer stood up to answer it but then realized she was in no mood to talk. She spotted the note Keith had left and read his chicken scratch handwriting. _Came over and fed him twice a day like you asked. We took him to the park and threw the ball around. He's not very good at fetch._

Sawyer laughed and rolled her eyes, "Yes he is." She looked at her dog and nodded, and she wiped her nose with her arm, "You just have to do it right." An instance when Trout was a puppy flew to her mind. Ben was the one who taught him to retrieve the ball, and she started to feel her heart sink into the depths of her chest.

_I'll see you when you get home. -Keith. _Sawyer read the rest of the note and took a deep breath. Her traveling was starting to catch up with her and there was nothing she wanted to do more than sleep. Maybe she'd wake up and everything would be okay. Maybe she would wake up to find out that this was all a dream?

It wasn't. She woke up and sharp morning light stung her eyes. They were puffy and grossly crusty but Sawyer rolled out of bed anyway. There was nothing to eat at her place so she hopped in her car and drove to the closest fast food place. She didn't even like Egg McMuffins but at the moment she didn't even like herself.

Fast food for breakfast. Fast food for lunch. Sawyer was on track to break her heart as bad as she was going to break Ben's, and she was going to sulk all day because he was coming home in less than 24 hours.

About four o'clock that afternoon Sawyer put Costello on repeat and watched the television on mute. She'd managed to spin her house into complete disarray so when her mother walked in unannounced, Peyton's eyes got wider than they ever had before.

"I figured you'd be tired from you're flight, but geez." Peyton shoved her sunglasses up into her hair and walked over to the turn table, turning down Elvis. Her newly turned twenty six year old always had a messy side but Sawyer's place was a wreck.

Sawyer was sunken down on the couch and sighed heavily when she heard her mom. Sitting up, the girl's back was to her mother and Sawyer quickly reached for her sunglasses to shade her swollen and teary eyes. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Laughing at Sawyer's tone, Peyton picked up some trash and took it to the kitchen, "Well my only daughter flew to the other side of the country, came back, and I haven't heard a word. You're not answering your phone, so as a mom, I think I have grounds to check on you every now and then."

Grabbing a pillow, Sawyer buried her face and sighed.

Noticing the silence, Peyton glanced toward Sawyer and furrowed her brow, "What's wrong, kid?" Peyton started walking to her daughter and sat down on the couch next to her.

Still hidden by the pillow she had pressed against her face, Sawyer's shoulders sank and she tossed it next to her.

Peyton knew that Sawyer didn't cry a lot so something was wrong. "What happened?"

Simply thinking about having to tell her mom what happened made her feel sick. But she did, and the disappointment on Peyton's face was just about as bad as Ben's reaction was gonna be. Her family loved Ben and now she messed everything up for them, too.

The nearly fifty year old stayed quiet and let everything sink in and then shook her head, "I never liked him." Peyton narrowed her eyes thinking about Dillon. "He was such a...jerk."

"But it wasn't just him. I didn't stop it." Sawyer didn't want her mom to have blinders on. She was as much to blame as Dillon. "I'm a horrible, horrible person."

Peyton could see Sawyer getting upset and she shook her head, "No you're not. You made a mistake. We all make mistakes."

Sawyer sighed and leaned into her mother, "Ugh, Mom..."

"I know you haven't talked to Ben yet, but maybe things will work out?"

Laughing at her mom's optimism, Sawyer shook her head, "No. They won't."

Peyton knew that the chances of Ben being forgiving was unlikely but she had to say it, just like Charlotte had. Looking around, Peyton took a deep breath and the scattered fast food trash made her offer dinner. "You want to eat with us tonight?"

"No. I'll be fine."

"Keith and Bridget are coming over. She'll probably cook more than me."

Wiping a stray tear, Sawyer laughed. Her brother's girlfriend had just graduated from culinary school and Bridget knew her way around the kitchen. "I think seeing them all cute together will make me nauseous and even more miserable." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice but Sawyer wasn't up for a family dinner when she had a rough day ahead of her tomorrow.

Peyton understood and patted Sawyer's leg, "You're gonna be okay, kid."

Sawyer got up and started to pick up the empty cups and strewn pillows and blankets. She hadn't realized how messy she'd made the place but if anything could keep her mind clear from the pending doom it was cleaning. She hated that just about as much as she dreaded the sunrise.

Peyton followed Sawyer into the kitchen and after she put something in the sink she looked at her daughter with crossed arms, "Well besides all this Dillon stuff, I'm proud that you signed the band."

Sawyer had forgotten all about her accomplishment. She nodded at her mother and smiled, "Thanks."

"Keep it up, and I'll take early retirement."

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head, "You won't ever retire. Unless you lose your hearing you'll be in the studio listening out for the next best thing till you're old and gray."

Peyton pointed to her head and laughed, "Thanks to you, your father, and your little brother...I'm getting there." Her gray hairs were hardly noticeable with her dyed locks but they were still there. Peyton slung her bag over her shoulder and nodded, "I'll be around."

"Thanks." Sawyer knew that her mother's words were an open invitation to call her anytime.

As the mother of two walked out of her daughter's house, she took a deep breath when the fresh air met her outside. It was a real shame that Sawyer had a lapse in judgment. Ben was good for her. He was what she needed, and in true Sawyer fashion, she had to go make things hard on herself- hard on him. Peyton walked passed her daughter's old convertible and got into hers. While Peyton cranked the old Comet she felt bad about the situation in general. She was convinced that Sawyer would have her someday with Ben, but now someday was turning into not ever.

**OTHOTH**

Awake just as the soft pastels of morning spread over the horizon, Sawyer sat on the back porch sipping her coffee. Trout was prancing around the yard convinced he could catch the squirrel he was tormented by, but Sawyer knew he couldn't and enjoyed the entertainment. The colors started to lighten and the noise of neighbors' cars and kids going to school littered the air. It wouldn't be long until the Diligence made it's way to shore. Just a few more hours.

And in those hours, Sawyer showered and got dressed. She debated on what to wear but settled with jeans, a dark green long sleeve ribbed tee, and the old jacket that had been through her family for generations. Her golden hair hung off her shoulders in a way that most people spent hours trying to duplicate, and she slipped on some shoes ready to go.

"Wish me luck." Sawyer patted Trout's head as she walked out the door.

The drive downtown wasn't long and she wished it had been. Sawyer wanted to catch a red light, get pulled over for not wearing her seat belt but none of that happened. Nothing was going to keep her from him.

After she parked, Sawyer walked toward the dock and felt her heart beat start to pound as loud as shoes clacked against the wooden planks. In the distance she could see a small ship making its way up the Cape and close to port. Her hands started to get clammy and the serenity she'd felt this morning was staring to wash away as the waves splashed against the shore.

The Diligence was closer now, much closer and the families of the other Coasties had gathered around waving them in, and then Sawyer spotted him. Ben was on the right side standing next to a fellow Coastie smiling about something. It killed her to see him but another part was glad he was home, glad he was safe.

Once the boat was docked Sawyer saw everyone start to greet their families and then she met Ben's blue eyes as he made his way toward her.

"Hey, O.J." He put his bag down and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Before he could try to kiss her Sawyer pulled him closer for a hug and never wanted to let go. His body next to hers made her eyes water and she tried not to get emotional.

Ben missed feeling her, having her in his arms, and their time apart most certainly made him love her more than ever. He wanted nothing more than to come home to her every time he went to sea.

When he pulled away he went right back in for a kiss. Sawyer couldn't stand the feeling in her stomach and pulled away before they got carried away.

Figuring she wasn't in the mood to show off their affection, Ben laughed at her and started to grin, "Lose your voice, Sawyer? You haven't said a word since I got on solid ground."

She shook her head and softened her eyes, "No. Sorry. I just..."

Ben noticed the wet mark on her cheek and brushed his thumb against it, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Sawyer quickly nodded and then turned away. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Ben picked up his bag and nodded, "I wanna hear all about L.A."

The knife that was twisting in her stomach was making its way north and a lightening bolt of pain started to radiate from her chest after he said that. Hearing about L.A. was going to be the last thing he wanted to hear about.

"Your place or mine?" She looked to him when they both got in her car and wondered which place to go.

"I wanna see Trout but let's go to my place so I get this stuff put up." He smiled at her and laughed, "If we go to your place we both know that I'll just toss it in the corner of your room and it'll never go anywhere." He'd done the same thing with his baseball stuff after one of the charity games and he was sure she still had a bat or two at her place.

Sawyer headed for Ben's apartment and asked him about his trip so she wouldn't have to talk. When they got to his place they both walked up to apartment, Sawyer more nervous than normal.

Ben tossed his bag by the washing machine and grabbed a few take-out menus they could decide on for lunch. He sat down next to Sawyer and handed her a few menus to look over. "Sucks about Charlotte and Graham, doesn't it?"

"What?" Sawyer shook her head, "What are you talking about?"

He turned to her and furrowed his brow, "Did she not tell you?"

"Oh, God. What is it? Is the wedding off?"

Completely surprised that Sawyer was out of the loop, Ben shook his head, "No they're fine. They're still getting married but Graham's number came up. They're moving."

"Moving!" Sawyer almost spit out her drink, "What? When? Where?"

Ben shrugged, "Graham called me yesterday...or the day before that and told me he got stationed in Texas. They're supposed to go to Houston next month. Charlotte didn't call you?"

"I had my phone turned off." Sawyer shook her head and knew that her world was crumbling at the seams. Her best friend and cousin was moving to Texas and as she turned to Ben she knew that she still had news for him. "Can't he get out of it?"

"Unless he can pull some major strings, I doubt it."

"Ugh...this sucks." Sawyer got up and started to walk out her frustration.

"Hey..." Ben got up and pulled Sawyer to him, "It's only for six months. They'll be back."

Sawyer took a deep breath a rested her head on his chest. There was something about Ben Trammell that was incredibly calming. He could make some of the worst news better. While they stayed like that for a minute, Sawyer heard Ben's stomach growl and she laughed, "Hungry?"

"Starving" He laughed with a nod and shrugged, "Let's just get a pizza."

They both agreed on pizza and while they waited for the delivery boy, Ben thought he'd be cute and crank up his stereo.

"Oh, no...please no." Sawyer was getting out two plates when she heard the familiar piano introduction and Ben walked in the kitchen and nodded.

"Put on my blue suede shoes and I boarded the plane..." He was halfway laughing halfway singing as he walked up next to her.

"I hate this song."

Ben was shook his head and kissed her, "No you don't."

Sawyer nodded and crossed her arms, "Yes, I do. With a burning fiery passion."

"No you don't." Ben continued to shake his head and sang as the song continued "...then I'm walking in Memphis. Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale."

"I really do hate this song." Sawyer rolled her eyes and walked over to another cabinet to get out glasses. She was tall enough to grab what she wanted but she went on her tip toes Ben couldn't help but walked right up behind her. His hands went to her sides and he bent down and kissed the side of her neck. "Ben..." Sawyer laughed and raised her shoulder to keep him from doing that again.

Turning her around, Ben kissed her and smiled, "I've been on a boat with the guys for three weeks. I think I can..." Ben pushed Sawyer up on the counter and grinned, before he kissed her again. He got her jacket off and before he slipped her shirt off, his hands rested on the hem and he nodded, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Sawyer was thinking in her head 'more than you know' and kissed him again.

As Ben started to pull on her shirt his elbow grazed one of the glasses Sawyer and pulled out and it went crashing towards the kitchen floor. The sound of the shattered glass brought Sawyer into reality and she knew that she needed to stop before she hurt Ben anymore. A part of her wanted to never tell him, to stay the way they were- happy and in love, but even as bitchy as she could be, that wasn't an option. Sawyer would drown in her own conscience if she never told him.

"Whoops." Ben laughed but Sawyer got off the counter to clean up the mess.

She went straight for the broom and started to sweep up the glass and Ben had to check himself, make sure Sawyer Scott was actually cleaning. And she was. The doorbell took him away from his surprise.

Ben got the pizza and Sawyer cleaned up their mess. They ate with pleasant conversation but Sawyer knew she couldn't keep put this off. The longer she waited the more painful it would be...for both of them.

"I'm stuffed!" Ben laid down on the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. He surfed the channels and tried to find something they could watch. When he heard the sink turn on he furrowed his brow and laughed, "When did you become so...cleanly? Is that something you picked up in California?"

Sawyer looked down and realized that she was doing the dishes and hadn't even realized it. "I uh...I guess?" The truth of the matter was that she taking small steps toward adulthood, something she hadn't really grasped in her young life. After twenty six years, this mistake she'd made put it in perspective. She needed to grow up, and that also meant taking responsibility for her actions. Sawyer wiped her hands on the dish towel and walked back to Ben, "About California..."

"Oh hold on..." Ben grabbed his ringing phone and smiled, "It's Dad." He raised the phone to his ear and grinned, "Hey, Pop."

Sawyer listened to Ben's conversation for a while and then was surprised when he tossed her the phone.

"Here, O.J."

There was a nervous feeling in Sawyer's stomach and she hesitated before she said hello. Taking a deep breath, Sawyer held the phone close to her head, "Hi, Russ."

"Well hey, Sawyer. Ben told me that you signed that band. I wanted to congratulate you."

Sawyer's stomach was starting to hurt worse and she nodded with a low whisper, "Thanks,"

"I'll get to brag about you when they make it to the big time."

"You won't have to do that." Sawyer smiled and shook her head, "I'm hardly anyone to brag about."

"Sure you are. Have you not heard Ben? That's about all he does." Russ laughed and knew his son had a good girl, "I asked him about his trip and all he talked about was you."

Sawyer smiled but could feel the twister of emotion spiraling out of control. She quickly caught a tear and nodded, "He thinks the world of you, too, Russ." It was a good thing Ben was lying down because if he could see her he'd know something was up.

"Then I guess I'm lucky to be in your company."

He was gonna have to stop being such a sweet guy because it wasn't doing anything for Sawyer's sate of mind. Hearing him made her realize that Mr. Trammell was a big part of this relationship too. Knowing she was going to let him down was more than she could take. Ben was bad enough.

"I'll see you in a few months, Sawyer." The older man knew they'd be visiting in May but what he didn't know was that it was only going to be one of them.

"Yeah..." Her reply was breathy but Sawyer nodded, "Good night, Russ."

"Night, Sawyer."

When Sawyer heard the line click she took a deep breath and whispered one last thing. "I'm sorry." She held on to Ben's cell phone so tight that her knuckles turned white and then she took a deep breath to go walk over to him. He was lounging on the couch and she sat down on the coffee table. "Ben..."

He instantly saw her tears and started to sit up, "Woah, O.J. What's wrong?"

"When...when I was in L.A. I..." She didn't know if he'd want all the details or just to cut to the chase. "When I was in L.A, the night I signed the band, I ran into my ex."

"That asshole from Berklee?" Ben saw Sawyer nod and he shook his head, "Dipshit."

Sawyer's heart was beating out of her chest and she shook her head, "We were drinking and one thing led to another..." She looked at Ben's face and could see him starting to understand what she was telling him. "I didn't mean to. It...just happened."

"You slept with him?" Ben's stare was cold and unforgiving.

"Ben...if I could take it back I would. I love you. I don't know what I was thinking."

He got up off the couch and ran his hand over his neck as if it ached in severe pain, "You slept with him?"

It was the second time he'd asked and Sawyer figured he wanted a straight yes or no answer. "Yes."

"Jesus, Sawyer." He took a few heavy breaths and shook his head, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I wish I could change it!" Sawyer got up to walk over to him but he flinched away from her.

"You're just telling me about this now?"

Sawyer raised her shoulders and shrugged, "What was I supposed to do? Wait for you to get off the boat, greet you with a kiss and a 'by the way, Ben, I cheated on you'?"

"God Dammit, Sawyer." Ben didn't know how he wanted to know about it. He wished he'd never heard it come out of her mouth, he wanted it to be a joke. Clearly it wasn't. "One night with some guy and you throw away everything we have?"

"I didn't want to do it, Ben. I just...happened."

"Yeah, well, shit happens, Sawyer." He cut his eyes at her and shook his head, "And apparently I stepped in it big time with you."

Sawyer didn't want to hear this, but she knew it was coming. "I know that you probably hate me. And I know that what I did was wrong, but Ben..." She walked towards him again and put her hands on his sides, "I made a mistake. A horrible, horrible, disgusting mistake, but I love you."

Ben was starting to feel himself get upset and he shook his head, "Yeah, well I love you too, Sawyer, but...this...I can't." He backed away from her and ran his hand over his head.

She could see that he was going from shocked, to upset, to sad, and back to angry. "Tell me what to do so we can fix this."

"Get out."

"Ben..." Sawyer's eyes bugged and she furrowed her brow. "Isn't th..."

Cutting his eyes toward her he looked to the girl he thought he wanted to spend his life with and saw nothing but a pitiful whore. "You did the same fucking thing my mom did to my _dad_, you know that? The same God-dammed thing _Dillon_ did to _you_." He laughed and shook his head, "I thought you were better than that."

"Ben, please..."

He shook his head and held out his hands, "I don't want to hear it Sawyer. Get out."

Tears falling off her face like a raging river, Sawyer grabbed her purse and walked out of his apartment. Before she closed the door, Sawyer turned around and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ben." She closed the door and Ben sent a lamp flying across the room.

If Sawyer had any hope that he would forgive her the look on his face and the pain in his words were enough to let her know she'd been mistaken.

Ben was alone in his apartment, looking at his broken lamp thinking things had gone from perfect to disastrous in mere minutes.

**OTHOTH**

It had been five days since Sawyer and Ben's relationship ended and Sawyer had crammed work and maid of honor duties into her schedule to keep her mind off of things, off of Ben really. Obviously he wasn't calling and Graham was pretty mum on Ben's whereabouts or feelings, but that was what Charlotte was for. Anything Graham told Charlotte, Charlotte told Sawyer and from the few things she knew, Ben was pretty torn up.

"Hey? Did you get those MP threes from those bands in Chicago?" Peyton walked up to her daughter with a legal pad. "Here are my notes on them. I want you to listen and see what you think. You can do it after lunch though."

"I'm not that hungry."

Peyton looked to the doorway and turned back to her daughter, "I think someone's here to take you to lunch."

For an instance, a millisecond time stopped and Sawyer's heart froze. For that instance, her cheeks flushed and she thought it might be Ben. It wasn't. Sawyer got up from her desk and walked over to her brother, "Is this a pity lunch, cause I don't need it?"

Keith laughed and shook his head, "I'm glad you have your attitude back." Hopefully his remark covered the truth because this definitely was a pity lunch.

"I didn't bring my purse. I hope you can afford me." Sawyer laughed and patted her brother on the back, "But I know you work like three jobs to save up...whatever it is you want to buy so I know you've got money."

Nodding, Keith smiled and he and his sister walked to his car. "I'm pretty sure you're low on gas so lets take mine."

She laughed and cut her eyes, "You're lucky that's true. If I did have gas it wouldn't be a question."

The brother and sister duo drove downtown and decided on Dock's. It was a local favorite and somewhere they'd been a thousand times before. After ordering their food, Keith looked at his older sister seriously, "So how are you doing?"

"This is a pity lunch." Sawyer rolled her eyes and took a sip of her Coke. "I'm fine. I am perfectly fine."

"I'm just asking because I know you're not." Keith was two and half years younger than Sawyer but he was a lot like Charlotte, wise beyond his years.

"He hasn't called. He hasn't come by. He hasn't texted me." Sawyer shrugged and shook her head, "It sucks, but it's all my fault. I can't expect anything from him."

"Have you tried to call him?"

"No." Sawyer shook her head, "I don't know what to say."

A group of Coasties walked in laughing and smiling and Keith pointed, "Gotta start somewhere."

Quickly holding up a menu to shield her face, Sawyer frowned, "You knew he would be here, didn't you?"

Keith held out his hands and laughed while shaking his head, "I had no idea. Honestly."

"Honestly, my ass." Sawyer peeked over the menu and saw Ben sitting with his buddies getting ready for lunch. Eyeing the kitchen, Sawyer was trying to come up with a plan.

"Don't even think about it." Keith knew what she was doing. "You're not gonna sneak out of the back just so you don't have to walk by him. Just go say something."

"But what?"

"I don't know, Sawyer." Keith laughed and shook his head, "How about hey for starters?"

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer got off her bar stool and walked over to the group of Coasties.

"Hey, Ben..." One of the guys nudged Ben and tilted his head toward the incoming Sawyer.

When she approached the table she sighed but didn't get a chance to speak because Ben cut in first.

"Look boys, it's a special today. Bitch. And it's half price cause she's a whore." He was obviously still bitter and his wounds were no where near healing.

Sawyer never expected Ben to be mean but she let it roll off her back. "Okay, that was fair, but can we go talk...outside, like adults?"

"We've only got twenty minutes, Sawyer. Why don't you and Ben talk about it later." Trevor looked at the blonde and shook his head. He wasn't trying to sound mean but he knew how upset Ben was about everything and he was on duty.

Turning to her ex-boyfriend, Sawyer could tell that he wasn't interested in a conversation so she walked back over to her brother. "Can we go?"

Keith could tell that Sawyer wasn't going to enjoy their lunch and got up, "Yeah."

That run in had been five days post break up and then two days after that Sawyer got home from the office and saw two big boxes on her front porch. She wasn't surprised that he dropped off her stuff, but she was surprised that he took Trout. _I'll bring him back Sunday. _It was all his note said and it was all it needed to say. Now Sawyer was alone, boyfriend-less and dog-less. Trout would be back in a couple days but Ben wouldn't.

The following week Sawyer was on her way to a dress fitting for Charlotte's wedding, and as she drove toward Clothes over Bros she hoped that her diet wasn't going to fault her now. She'd eaten more junk over the last two weeks than normal and her bloated belly wasn't cooperating. Why they needed fittings six months before the actual wedding was ridiculous to her but she was going because she had to.

"Ooh, Sawyer you're here first." Brooke walked over to her oldest niece and smiled, "Let's see how everything fits."

Charlotte walked in with Liza about three minutes later and Sawyer was rolling her eyes that everyone was there to see her pudgy stomach and flabby arms. "Okay, so just as a warning. I've been going through a lot, lately. Don't judge my weight gain." Sawyer walked out with her dress and Brooke's eyes got wide.

"Sawyer, what in the world?" Brooke was a little baffled. For her entire life, Sawyer had been rail thin but apparently the break up allowed for a slow metabolism. Brooke was gonna have a lot of work to do with Sawyer's dress. Expand the bust for Sawyer's cutlets and hopefully take in the tummy.

"Look, I know. I had about six gallons of mint chocolate chip ice cream over the last two weeks so...yeah. I'll slim down before the wedding."

Charlotte laughed and looked at Sawyer, "You don't even like mint chocolate chip ice-cream."

Sawyer furrowed her brow, "I _love_ mint chocolate chip ice cream, actually."

"Just start running. You'll lose the weight before you know it."

Laughing, Sawyer appreciate Jamie's wife's advice but she wasn't a runner. Sawyer and running did not go together.

"Yeah, train for the Diligence Dash and you'll be in shape in no time." Brooke nodded and figured that would be a realistic accomplishment Sawyer could strive for.

Charlotte tried to change the subject because she knew that Sawyer didn't like mint chocolate chip ice cream, Ben did. She was only eating it now not because she liked it, because she still loved him. And the mention of the Diligence Dash was another sore subject. Two years ago Sawyer and Ben unconventionally became acquaintances after she tossed her orange juice his way. "Let me try on next. I might not get to come back often since I'll be in Texas."

Brooke turned to the brown eyed bride-to-be and shook her head, "I still can't believe you're leaving."

Sawyer watched as the other three went to check out Charlotte's wedding dress and she held out her arms, "Can I change now?"

After she got out of her cranberry dress, Sawyer watched Charlotte get into hers. She always knew that Charlotte would make a beautiful bride. She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit jealous. Charlotte was getting the guy, they got the house, babies were likely on the way and Sawyer was left with nothing. She didn't have the guy, or the cute home they could buy together. Sawyer was alone.

"What do you think, Saw?" Charlotte looked to her maid of honor and smiled.

"You are unfairly beautiful, Charlotte." It was the truth and she walked over to her cousin with a smile. Looking at her cousin in her wedding gown Sawyer remembered that she was the maid of honor but she couldn't have felt further away from her title. It would have been better if they could call her the maid of dishonor. It was cliche and probably a running joke Ben had with his buddies but sadly it was true.

A few days after the dress fitting Sawyer was on her way to Charlotte and Graham's because she was pretty sure that she'd just listened to the group that would be perfect for their wedding band.

"Charlotte?" The blonde walked into the door and hadn't paid a single lick of attention to whose car had been parked on the other side of the street. She walked into the house and saw Charlotte and Ben standing in the dinning room.

Ben just rolled his eyes, "Didn't you see my piece of shit Four-Runner out there?" He laughed and shook his head, "And you still wanna come in here?" His tone was harsh and unforgiving causing Sawyer to stop in her tracks.

"Ben..." Sawyer shook her head. She hadn't been paying attention to the cars outside. She'd just wanted to come over to talk with Charlotte. "I...I'll go."

He shook his head, "No stay. You should hear this too."

Sawyer didn't know what he meant by that but she awkwardly stood by the door until Graham got home a couple minutes later.

The green eyed Coastie walked into the house not knowing what to expect. He'd seen both Sawyer and Ben's cars outside so he didn't know if he would be walking into a war or a peace negotiation.

"Hi." Charlotte saw Graham walk inside and she smiled up to him from her sitting position on the floor.

Graham looked to Ben and then Sawyer and then Charlotte, "What's going on?"

Ben took a deep breath, "You don't have to go to Texas."

Graham furrowed his brow, "Huh?"

"What?" Charlotte looked to Ben and wondered how he knew that. They hadn't heard anything different.

Sawyer looked around the house and knew that Charlotte and Graham were leaving in two weeks. Their stuff was already packed.

"You don't have to go. _I_ am." Ben nodded and looked to Graham, "I talked to Admiral Langston today. I told him that if they wanted a patrol man to take me. I'd go. You two have everything here." Ben looked to Charlotte, "Your parents are here, and yours..." He looked at Graham nodded, "...yours are just a couple hours away. You're about to get married." Ben glanced around the room and shrugged, "You just bought this house."

Graham was trying to figure out what was happening."Ben you don't have..."

Shaking his head, Ben cracked his knuckles, "I don't have anything keeping me here. I don't have someone here. I mean my dad's in Tennessee."

Sawyer had been listening to everything Ben was saying and had to look away because she could feel herself start to cry. He must really not care anymore. Obviously he cared about his friends but Sawyer was just a face in the crowd.

Charlotte got up off the floor from packing, "Wh...What made you do this?"

He had a few reason but one was the most obvious. "I love you guys." He laughed but shrugged, "I'm Graham's best man, I'm just trying to help out."

Walking over to him, Charlotte gave Ben a giant hug, "But you'll come back for the wedding, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ben..." Graham swallowed hard and tried to come up with words but he couldn't. "Thank you." He hugged his best friend and knew that a huge weight had been lifted from his and Charlotte's shoulders. They didn't have to go to Texas. They got to stay in Tree Hill. It was how it was supposed to be. Things were still going according to plan.

Things were going according to plan for _some_ people. For everyone but Sawyer it seemed. While the three others hugged it out, Sawyer slipped out of Charlotte and Graham's house and hurried to her car. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see. Her tears were clouding her vision and the last thing she wanted to do was see him, hear him, be close to him. She cranked her car and just started to drive.

When she pulled up to the old familiar yellow home she saw the old mustang in the driveway and knew that her dad was home. She went in without knocking and went straight into the study where he was typing away.

"Hey. I didn't know you were stopping by."

Sawyer looked at her dad and shook her head, "He's leaving. He's going to Texas so Graham doesn't have to."

"Ben?" Lucas folded his arms and started to squint. Sawyer was clearly upset.

"Yes Ben. Who else would I be upset about?" Sawyer sat down and shook her head again, "I know I messed up and I guess I deserve some punishment, but I've been dealt a heavy enough blow." She wiped her cheek and shrugged, "He already hates me, and now he's leaving. He's basically going across the country."

Lucas took a deep breath, "Maybe it's for the best." He liked Ben, Lucas really did, but the circumstances did not bode well for a reunion between his daughter and ex-boyfriend. As much as he wanted it to happen he couldn't write a fairytale ending to this story.

"But I wanted to fix things."

"We all want to fix things, Sawyer."

Sawyer nodded with a laugh and a sniff, "When you fixed my car, you fixed my heart." She laughed again and shrugged, "Can't I go fix his car and then he can change his mind?"

Lucas wanted to be realistic but knew that his own love story had its own glimmer of hope. "Sometimes things don't work out. Sometimes it just takes time."

"He's leaving in two weeks, Dad."

Taking a deep breath, Lucas sat down next to his daughter, "I know you loved him, Sawyer. But you have to let go."

"I don't want to."

"I know." Lucas felt Sawyer lean into his side and he wrapped an arm around her.

"You're gonna write a book about this, aren't you?"

He shook his head, "Not if you don't want me to."

Sawyer knew how her dad's books ended. The boy got the girl without fail. It was always a process and it was hard work, but it was a happy ending nonetheless. It was the kind of ending Sawyer wanted, she just didn't know if she would get it.

**OTHOTH**

When those dreaded two weeks passed and Ben was headed out of town, he had to stop somewhere first. It wasn't to pick up his things, he'd done that, it wasn't to see her one more time, it was to say goodbye.

One full month had gone by since the unfortunate night when he found out about Sawyer and Dillon. One month of heartache, regret, pain, and more emotion than he knew he had. It was undeniable the love he had for the opinionated blonde. Benjamin Trammell loved Sawyer Scott with no avail, but what she did was something he couldn't forget and certainly something he couldn't forgive. He wasn't exactly keen on leaving the small town he'd come to know and love. Tree Hill had become his home. For all intents and purposes he'd already imagined a life there. Big problem was that it was with Sawyer and considering they were hardly on speaking terms, that future obviously wasn't coming true. But he was leaving for Charlotte and Graham. At least that's what he told himself.

His old 4-Runner parked in front of Sawyer's house and her car wasn't there so he knew he could get in and out without drama. He was there to say goodbye but he wasn't there to say goodbye to her. He was there to say goodbye to Trout. It made more sense for their dog to stay with her. She had the yard and it was already his home. Ben wasn't even sure if the base in Texas allowed dogs. He'd be living on site in a rinky dink military housing, but he knew it was better him than Graham. He'd pulled so many strings getting them to change personnel assignments that he was surprised Admiral Langston gave him the go-ahead but it was going to be worth it. Everything was bigger and better in Texas, right? Hopefully. He had a hole the size of the state that he needed to fill.

Ben thought about going through the front door but he assumed he might as well just walk around to the backyard fence.

Trout heard the gate open and ran up to Ben with an enthusiasm only a dog would have for its owner.

"Hey, boy." Ben rubbed Trout's head and realized he was going to miss the dog a lot more than he thought. And if he was being honest with himself it was more than Trout he was going to miss. Sawyer would always be in his heart.

Trout ran over to grab a ball and sprinted back over to Ben.

"You wanna play?" Ben got the ball and held it out. He wasn't on a time crunch. He was driving to Memphis and then flying out from there. He could play with his dog as long as he liked.

Twenty minutes went by fast and Sawyer pulled into the driveway with a backseat full of groceries. She saw Ben's car and suddenly got nervous that maybe he'd changed his mind, but Sawyer knew that the scenario was far out of reach. After grabbing a few bags she took them inside and could tell that Ben was throwing a tennis ball for Trout.

Ben heard the back door open and he turned around. Every time he saw her it made it harder for him to go but easier for him to leave. It was the strangest of feelings; to love someone so much that it hurt to stay and to go. "Hey."

"Hey." Trout ran up to Sawyer and she patted his side.

"I uh...I was just coming over to see him before I left."

Sawyer nodded because she figured as much. "I've got groceries in the car so you two can get back to playing. I just wanted to...say hey." She turned back toward the house and rolled her eyes at herself. She knew that she sounded lame.

"Here, Trout." Ben clapped his hands and watched as their dog ran back over to him.

Sawyer tried not to stare out of the kitchen window but it really was hard not to. She had to duck a few times when Ben turned around but she was pretty sure that he didn't notice.

The guy and dog played for another ten minutes and then Ben knew it was time to go. He knelt down to Trout and used both hands to cup his face, "You be good, okay? She's gonna need you to protect her. Bark at any guy that comes in the house. They're all no good unless they're family." When his breath caught in his throat it surprised him and Ben took a deep breath. "But you can handle her, Trout. I tried." He should his head because their relationship had crashed and burned.

The dog blindly licked on Ben and the twenty something used the opportunity to wipe his face with his sleeve.

"I'll come back and visit you." Ben rubbed the dogs ears and started to stand up. He coughed hoping his emotions would stifle but this was harder than he imagined.

He eyed the back door and the back gate and knew it was best if he at least told Sawyer he was leaving. Ben walked up the porch and went inside. She wasn't in the kitchen and Ben looked around, "Sawyer?"

She walked out of the bathroom and smiled at him. Her eyes looked watery and she'd just had herself a little cry. Watching Ben say goodbye to their dog was rough.

"I uh..." He used his thumb to point to the front door, "...I'm leaving."

"Whenever you're in town you can come and see him."

Nodding, Ben looked out the window to Trout, "I will."

They both took steps toward each other not knowing what to do. Sawyer knew she was stepping out of bounds but she couldn't let him go all the way to Texas without a hug. Her arms went around him and to her surprise he hugged her back. Closing her eyes, Sawyer took a deep breath, breathing him in, "I'm sorry."

Ben could feel his heart ache and he nodded, "Me too." He quickly kissed her temple and briskly walked past her to the front door. He didn't turn around, he didn't say another word, the door opened and closed, and then he was gone.

Standing in the middle of her kitchen, Sawyer felt her eyes well and knew as soon as that door closed she was turning over a new leaf. She was going to be someone better for her; someone better for him. They may never be together again but Sawyer was certainly going to keep the faith. It wasn't probable and highly unlikely; there were others out there. She was simply convinced Ben was it. Time would only tell.

**OTHOTH**

**So they broke up and Ben's off to Texas. Obviously they were both hurt and I don't think the break up was easy for either of them. Next chapter I'll jump to Charlotte and Graham's wedding and Sawyer will get back into the dating scene...sorta. She may even go on a sushi date. Ha, yes, that's a poke at you LM readers who know more than the others. Who she ends up with...just as the chapter said, only time will tell.**

**My reviewers continued to be made of AWESOME. Genuine grade A, awesome. This spin off of a spin off has had more buzz and more of a following than I ever imagined. Thank you for continuing to surprise me. I write this story for you guys!**

**Amanda: I'm so glad you've enjoyed the development of their relationship. Sorry I had to tear it apart this chapter. I'm also really happy that you appreciate the fact that Sawyer is flawed but has (most of the time) good intentions whereas Ben is the dependable one. It's too bad that Sawyer didn't Dillon to the curb but drama makes stories interested and with Sawyer's flawed nature I think it was inevitable. Hopefully you'll like what I've got in store for Sawyer!**

**_Joan:_ Yeah, most people probably assumed from Charlotte's story what was gonna happen. The fact that you noticed how she became more "human" when she was working with Joel was a nice recognition on your part. I'm glad you picked up on that. Russ probably won't take the break up well and I probably will have him in the next chapter. Graham's been friends with Ben for a really long time so I would imagine that Russ would be invited to the wedding, hence a Russ and Sawyer chat. Ha, lol, I 'm glad you like the name Pilot.**

**2old4oth: LOL, yes, alcohol will definitely get you every time. And I'm with you. I get annoyed when people call me ma'am too. I mean I know it's unavoidable here in the south but it makes me feel like a really old 21 year old. I'm glad you liked the ring/coin box bit. It did show that she was warming up to idea of marriage and yeah...it would have to be on her own terms. It will be interesting to see what happens when and if she does get proposed to.**

**Someone who didn't sign their name: I'm glad you liked the chapter and the twist at the end. I always planned to bring Dillion into the story. I think I mentioned him enough for people to assume he was trouble...and without a doubt he caused some serious harm for everyone who likes Sawyer and Ben.**

_**Review Please!**_


	8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 8: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood**

**Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with OTH.**

**A/N: I'm back! Lucky, you guys, I decided to scratch the LM health scare and do a light and fluffy LM chapter, but then I got a review that side tracked me to this story. You guys can all thank Joan in your reviews, ha. Sawyer and Ben have broken up and this chapter will jump us to September. Charlotte and Graham are getting married so that means the maid of honor and best man will have to be around each other. Maybe they'll be on the road to recovery, but maybe they won't? There is also a lot of other interaction. New characters and returning OTH alums. Read on to see what Sawyer's getting herself in to. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The new fall air was crisp and cool but Sawyer had the top down anyway. The sun had already set and she'd already eaten dinner. It had been a date actually. Sawyer knew she wasn't ready to jump back in the dating pool but it had been six months since Ben broke up with her. She couldn't wait for a miracle, so when a nice looking guy approached her at Tric, she bit the bullet and said yes when he asked her out. She needed a date for Charlotte's wedding anyway. It was only three weeks away. But the lanky blonde started laughing as she pulled up next to a stop sign. The date she was leaving hadn't gone as she'd hoped.

_Sawyer drove to Circa 1922 and parked her sea blue convertible in a parallel space next to the restaurant. She always had the best of luck when it came to parking. Quickly opening up the door, she kicked it shut on her way by and strutted into the restaurant in true Sawyer Scott fashion. She'd come straight from work so she wasn't wearing a dress but she was still the most stylish woman in the restaurant. _

_As she scanned the booths and the bar, Sawyer saw Ted in a nice jacket and khakis. Taking a deep breath, Sawyer walked over to him._

"_Hey." He stood up when she approached their table and got the waiter's attention so she could order a drink._

"_Hey." Noticing that Ted has a glass of wine, she pointed to his glass and nodded to the waiter, "I'll have the same."_

_Ted smiled at her and fumbled with his menu, "I'm glad you picked this place."_

_Sawyer nodded, "Good food. Good atmosphere. It's a good place." She also liked how close it was to Tric so her commute time from work was cut to minutes, which was probably a deciding factor in why she chose it._

"_For the longest time I wanted to have my own restaurant."_

_Arching her brow, Sawyer took her wine glass from the waiter, "Oh yeah? Thanks." She smiled at the waiter and took a sip._

_Nodding, Ted couldn't help but notice Sawyer's beauty and he started to feel pretty lucky that of any of the guys who could have asked her out, he did, and she'd said yes. He sipped his wine, "I was pretty serious about it. When I was in college I even drew up plans." Pulling a pen from his jacket pocket, Ted reached for a napkin and started to sketch his dream restaurant._

_The date went downhill from there._

After the hour, hour and a half date, Sawyer found herself pulling out of the parking lot glad it was over. Ted was a nice guy but not for her. She still needed a wedding date though, and she was on her way to get him.

Sawyer pulled along the curb to a cute set of town homes and saw her brother's old corvette in the driveway. It wasn't his house but it might as well be. He'd all but moved in with his girlfriend Bridget.

As Sawyer walked up to the front door she knew they might be in the middle of eating dinner but hopefully they weren't. Simultaneously pulling out her phone to call Keith, she knocked on the door. A girl as tall as Sawyer with darker hair opened the door and smiled.

"Hi, Sawyer."

"Hey." Just past Bridget's shoulder Sawyer could see her brother answering his phone. He didn't have a shirt on and that didn't surprise her.

"You know you're calling me, right?" He caught sight of his sister, held out his phone, and furrowed his brow.

Laughing, Sawyer stepped inside Bridget's house and nodded, "I need a favor."

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" Keith picked up a funnel and the empty coffee container from the counter.

Sawyer shook her head, "It's over."

Bridget knew all about Sawyer's love life. She caught on to Keith's sister's tone and grimaced, "It didn't go well?"

Smiling, Sawyer pulled out a napkin from her purse, "Considering he gave me his architectural plans for his future restaurant as a parting gift? Not so much. And all he did was talk about himself. It did _not_ go well. I almost lost my appetite when he started talking about his sister's hairless cat."

"Ew." Bridget puckered her face and shook her head.

"I know. That's what I thought."

Keith laughed and started walking toward the garage, "Well come out here. I'm about to change Bridget's oil."

Following her younger brother, Sawyer laughed with a tone of jealously, "Why don't you ever do that for me? And why are you doing it now? It's kinda late to do that."

They both got into the garage and Keith rolled his eyes, "It doesn't matter what time you change the oil, Sawyer." He laughed shrugging, "I've got to go to work in the morning." The front part of the car was already jacked up and Keith slid under it. "And I don't change your oil because you only let Dad do it."

Folding her arms, Sawyer knew her little brother was right, "And which job are you going to tomorrow?"

Keith's voice was a little muffled, "I'm waiting tables tomorrow."

"You have a college degree. You should be able to find a better job than that." Sawyer never understood Keith's logic. He bounced around odd jobs here and there faster than anybody should.

"I will if I can get enough money for the down payment."

He'd done a pretty good job keeping everyone in the dark about this thing he was saving up for. Sawyer looked at the garage door and knew their grandfather's kick ass corvette was on the other side, "If you're saving up for a new car then I call dibs on yours. I don't need it but I don't want you to sell it."

"I'm not _selling_ the car, Sawyer. I'm not _buying_ a car either." He laughed and rolled out from under Bridget's car. "I just need a few more grand and I'll be set."

Sawyer was going to get the mystery out of her brother somehow, "Well then ask Mom and Dad for early inheritance. You know they've got money for us when they croak."

Keith laughed and rolled back under the car, "Gee, aren't you sweet." He shook his head and talked louder, "That's the thing though. I don't want them to know."

Sawyer started to smile and kicked her brother's foot, "So you're finally getting the operation?"

Keith swung his foot and nailed Sawyer on the ankle bone, "No. I just want to surprise them."

Figuring it was a house, maybe an engagement ring, Sawyer winced as she tried to rub her sore ankle, "Okay fine, but about this favor I need."

"Oh yeah, what is it?"

Sawyer started to pace around the hood of Bridget's car and explained herself, "So Charlotte's getting married in three weeks and there is nobody good I can go with. What if we're each others plus one?"

Rolling out from under the hood, Keith laughed, "You want me to be your wedding date?" He wiped his hands with a towel, "Do you know how lame that is?"

"Look? I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't desperate."

"What about Bridget?" Keith looked at his sister wondering what he was supposed to do about his girlfriend.

"Well...I was hoping that maybe y..."

"You go talk to her." Keith wasn't gonna do the dirty work himself.

Letting out an exacerbated sigh, Sawyer shuffled to the door while her brother finished up changing the oil. Sawyer and Bridget got along strangely well so it wasn't going to be an awkward conversation, but Sawyer still didn't want to do it.

Bridget was sitting on the couch munching on something that smelled delicious and Sawyer sat down next to her.

"Here, try one of these. Tell me what you think?"

Sawyer took one of the cinnamon sugar pastry sticks and took a bite and knew she would be in big trouble with Brooke if she had more two. Scratch that, three. Three would be okay. Three weren't going to cause her bridesmaid dress not to fit...hopefully. "These are crazy good."

Bridget smiled appreciatively, "Yeah? Keith told me to add more cinnamon."

Sawyer took another bite and laughed, "He doesn't know what he's talking about. They are perfect just as they are." Both girls laughed and then Sawyer turned to Bridget with a more serious look, "Okay, so I asked Keith my favor but he bounced me over to you."

Eyes widening, Bridget laughed, "Okay."

"I need to steal him from you so I can have a date to Charlotte's wedding."

The brunette smiled and nodded, "Well you know..." Bridget brushed away the sugar crumbs from her hands, "I just found out about this cooking seminar in Atlanta that weekend so I think I'll be able to help you out."

"Oh great. That works perfectly." Sawyer was incredibly grateful that their schedules worked out so nicely. She probably wouldn't have actually taken Keith from Bridget if she could go but this was good news. Turing to the girl who would likely marry her brother someday, Sawyer frowned, "But you _are_ going to Atlanta, right? Don't skip the wedding and use the cooking thing as an out for me."

Shaking her head, Bridget laughed, "No I'm not. My boss told me I could get a raise if I go."

Keith walked back inside from the garage, oil on his hands and a splotch on his chest. "I got it changed. I was gonna take a shower in a sec." He walked over to his girlfriend and sister. "What's the word on the wedding." He was about to sit down on the couch but Bridget stopped him.

"Wait don't sit! You'll ruin the couch with the oil."

He laughed and held his hands up deciding to stand.

Sawyer turned to Bridget and then nodded at her brother, "Looks like you're my date, little brother."

"I've got a job thing in Atlanta." Bridget looked at her boyfriend with a funny smile. She knew that he'd rather go with her but things weren't working out for Sawyer and she was gonna need it. Bridget knew that Sawyer was going to have to face her own demons at the wedding, and if anyone was up for supporting Sawyer it was Keith.

"Well, didn't you get lucky that everything worked out like that?" Keith laughed and smiled at his sister. He leaned down to Bridget and placed a sweet kiss on her lips, "Meet me in the shower." He'd asked only to get a blush out of Bridget and a reaction out of Sawyer.

"And that's my cue." Sawyer got up but Keith jokingly leaned over to try and kiss her too. "Oh, gross." She swatted him away, but swiped one of Bridget's pastry sticks on her way out the door. "I'll see you two later."

Sawyer heard Bridget and Keith say their goodbyes and she shut the front door. Munching on the third, potentially forth pastry stick, her night had gone from bad with Ted, the wanna be restauranteur to better with a secure date to Charlotte's wedding. Sawyer hopped in her car and drove away towards home. She breathed in the night air and was happy that Keith was going to be her crutch. She was going to need him. Ben would be back in Tree Hill in three weeks.

**OTHOTH**

Time flew by. The flowers had come, the seating arrangements were set, and the rehearsal was taking place in just over an hour. Sawyer drove over to her aunt and uncle's house so she could get in a little girl time before the festivities began.

After she parked, Sawyer opted to go straight to the backyard because if Charlotte Scott soon to be McFarland was anywhere, it would be in the tent she and Graham would make their first formal arrival together as Mr. and Mrs. McFar..._Lieutenant_ and Mrs. McFarland, actually.

It took her a while to find the entrance, but Sawyer eventually did and was taken back by what was inside. Everything was beautiful. It was perfect for Charlotte.

Walking around the tables, Sawyer eyed a few name plates and recognized most of them. If she didn't know them she'd heard of them. Making her way toward the the main table, Sawyer felt her heart start to race. Her spot at the table was just a few away from his. She'd be able to smell his bar soap and hear his laugh. There were things Sawyer had prepared herself for and things she couldn't.

Taking a seat where she would tomorrow, Sawyer stared blankly at her name plate and looked up when she heard someone walk towards her.

"A little early, aren't you?" Charlotte laughed and walked over to Sawyer, taking a seat as well.

Sarcastically nodding, "Oh you know me. I'm always the _first_ to a party." On most occasions that statement was completely opposite. Only a few times did Sawyer ever try to get anywhere early, much less an entire day early. She looked to Charlotte and could tell that her twenty five year old cousin was radiating happiness. "Are you getting excited?"

"Kinda. Sorta. Yeah." Charlotte laughed out loud and shook her head, "I think it will hit me when we go to the rehearsal." At her mention, Charlotte could tell that Sawyer was the nervous one now. And Charlotte had news that might ease Sawyer's state of mind but the blonde spoke up first.

"God I hope this isn't awkward. I mean we have to walk together during rehearsal don't we?" Sawyer took a deep breath and sighed, "I mean we're going to be like strangers. It's been six months since we broke up and five months since have I even seen him."

Charlotte knew full well that Sawyer and Ben were much more than strangers. Those two couldn't maintain that identity if they tried. After close to two years together they weren't going to be strangers at all. "Actually...I have some news."

Sawyer turned to Charlotte curious about what she was getting at.

"Ben called Graham and he's hung up at the airport. He probably won't make it."

"To the wedding? At all?"

A little shocked by Sawyer's urgent and upset tone, Charlotte laughed and shook her head, "No, just the rehearsal. I'm sure he'll be in town by tomorrow."

"Oh." Sawyer felt a bit of relief because she'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't want to see him. "Did you get a stand in best man for your fake wedding so we can practice for the real one?"

Nodding, Charlotte smiled, "Yeah."

Sawyer figured Graham's brother would slide into the roll but she would find out she was wrong in just a matter of time. "You wanna ride with me to the church?"

"As long as you don't drive like a crazy person." Charlotte got up and smoothed out her dress.

Sawyer started to smirk and got up, "I've got a helmet in the back if it will make you more comfortable." She laughed out loud at her own comment and the two friends made their way to Sawyer's car.

Taking the scenic route, Sawyer made the drive to the church a little longer because it was the last time she and Charlotte were gonna be Sawyer and Charlotte, the two Scott girls who took the world head on, one more cautious than the other. Rolling to a stop by the church, Sawyer turned to Charlotte with a grin, "I know you'll be busy with the rest of the wedding madness once this thing starts so..."

Knowing that Sawyer wasn't always the best with words, Charlotte understood what this moment was for and what it was about. She leaned over the console and hugged her cousin with a laugh, "Don't worry, Saw. We'll still have our weekly lunch dates for Mexican and margaritas."

"Ha. Oh, good." Sawyer laughed and hid her emotion with facetiousness, "Cause you know that was the _only_ thing I was worried about." Hugging Charlotte, Sawyer pulled away and smiled, "But once you get pregnant, and _you_ _will_, I'll just have to drink yours for you."

Charlotte laughed and nodded.

"And...you have to name your first baby after me." Sawyer was joking but thought the idea was funny.

"Right, okay." Charlotte hugged Sawyer one more time and smiled. If Sawyer was going to be used as a family name it wouldn't be Charlotte who used it. It would be Sawyer or maybe even Keith. Charlotte knew that Sawyer was convinced that she didn't want kids but somehow, someway, Charlotte pictured Sawyer as a mom. "Thanks for putting up with all this wedding stuff."

Laughing, Sawyer nodded, "And next time maybe cut your engagement. Fourteen months was way more time than we needed."

"I know." Charlotte smiled and knew she wouldn't be getting married again. Graham was it for her.

"And I'm talking about your second wedding to Graham. Cause you'll be all cheesy in like ten years and want to do this all over again."

"Maybe so." Laughing, Charlotte pulled away and looked at the church.

"Well lets get this show on the road so you can practice for that cheesy vow stuff." Sawyer opened up her door and the Scott women walked to the church.

When Sawyer walked over to Graham's younger brother, she smiled at him, "Guess you're my arm candy for this thing?"

Crawford laughed and shook his head, "Nope. Still haven't gotten that promotion yet."

Feeling a tap on her side, Sawyer turned around and saw Charlotte's six year old nephew, "Hey, Bennet."

"Graham told me I get to fill in for Ben. We get to practice together."

Sawyer couldn't help but smile at the boy. He was adorable. Dressed up in a button down and nice pants, Bennet's blue eyes matched his father's and grandfather's. "Then I feel pretty lucky." Sawyer found a reason to get out of her heels and quickly discarded them. "And to make things even, how bout if I lose a few inches?"

Bennet smiled up to Sawyer with a cute grin, "Daddy said I'll grow into my height."

Sawyer ruffled the boy's hair and nodded, "You will."

Graham and the groomsmen walked down the aisle so they could get ready to begin the rehearsal and Sawyer turned around to look at Liza. "You do realize that your son is the cutest kid on the planet, right?"

Liza smiled and knew that she and Jamie had done pretty well with Bennet. "I'm pretty sure that comes from your side of the family. I think it's a Scott thing."

Sawyer wasn't a huge fan of kids, but Bennet had Sawyer sorta kinda, maybe, probably wrapped around his finger. "Well you can give him to me for Christmas if you need him off your hands."

Liza laughed and knew that it really was a compliment if Sawyer wanted Bennet. "I'll be sure and talk to Jamie about it."

Jamie and Sawyer always had a bit of strange relationship so she shook her head, "Let's just keep it our secret."

The groomsmen and Graham walked down the aisle to take their spots so the rehearsal could get into full swing and they walked through the wedding enough times for everyone to remember exactly what they were supposed to do. When everyone was convinced they wouldn't mess up tomorrow, they had one final run through and Charlotte and Graham led the way to the exit as they walked up the aisle together.

Bennet walked down the couple of steps and looked to Sawyer as he extended his hand. "I think I'm supposed to excort you."

Sawyer laughed at the way he'd said escort but she placed her hand in his, "Bennet, you can _excort_ me anywhere you want." The little boy who was walking next to her was adorable. If she ever had kids for some crazy reason, she wanted one just like him. She'd already told Liza he would make a fine Christmas present. "Hey, and you know it's customary for the best man to dance with the maid of honor at the reception."

"Like, _dance_, dance?" Bennet looked up to Sawyer and his eyes grew, "I don't like dancing." He started to flap his arms and laughed, "But we learned the chicken dance in gym. Can we do that one?"

Sawyer was thrown to memories when she saw Bennet flap his arms around. He looked so much like Ben when he would do his dumb turkey dance when they would bowl, and her stomach started to tie in knots that may never come undone.

Seeing that Sawyer's reaction was more like a blank stare, Bennet shook his head, "Or we don't have to?"

Glancing down at the boy, Sawyer shook her head and rested her hand on Bennet's shoulder as they walked up the aisle, "No, it's not that, kid. I was just thinking." Sawyer nodded at Bennet with a confident smile, "You're gonna rock the chicken dance."

"Well only if you do it with me." Bennet looked to Sawyer and pointed his finger with as much authority as possible. "Kay?"

Sawyer knew that she could be making the most embarrassing promise in her life but that smile and those blue eyes were worth it. She stuck out her and and shook Bennet's hand, "Alright."

The maid of honor and fill in best man walked close to the best man's parents. Bennet looked at his mom and dad, and then he turned to Sawyer, "Can I ride with her to the base?"

Jamie looked to Liza and then to Sawyer, "If it's alright with you."

"Yeah, sure. Why not." Sawyer nodded at Bennet and while they walked to their respective cars, the blonde looked over her shoulder, "Don't worry I won't go crazy nanny on you and steal him." Sawyer laughed at herself and then shook her head, "Sorry, that was a bad joke." She turned away and grimaced because that was probably not the best thing to say.

"Your car is really cool." Bennet hopped in the front seat and smiled wide at his second cousin.

"My dad fixed it up for me. You know he helped your dad fix his green monster?"

Bennet started to laugh at Sawyer's description because his father's car was kinda like a green monster. It never really did what it was supposed to.

Actually driving the speed limit made Sawyer's commute a little longer than normal. But, when they pulled through the gates of the Coast Guard base and parked close to the hanger where Graham's mom and Charlotte had planned the rehearsal dinner, the time didn't seem to matter. But timing was everything.

"Oh, cool, look at that helicopter!" Bennet spotted the old aircraft and being the little boy he was, he was enthralled.

Jamie and Liza were just behind Sawyer and Bennet and they thanked her for the ride when they all walked into the hanger. Most of the guests were arriving and Sawyer was taking in the scenery when she spotted him. They were just across the room from each other and Sawyer's heart dropped to her belly. He was here? Wasn't he supposed to be coming tomorrow? Didn't she deserve some kind of time to prepare herself? And he was in his uniform? His uniform! Her heart was floating around in her stomach somewhere but it was melting down there, too. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

Spotting the bar, Sawyer made a beeline for some sort of liquid courage and hoped he hadn't seen her yet.

He had. How could he not have? She was still as stunning as ever, Sawyer was the most gorgeous one in the room. It didn't matter what anybody said to the contrary. It was true.

While the rest the of the guests gathered inside and mingled, Sawyer tried to stay hidden from him. When dinner was served they were seated tables away from one another and it was probably for the best. Sawyer had been so surprised that he was there that she could hardly form coherent sentences, and that was all him. It had absolutely nothing to do with her alcohol intake. She'd hardly touched her drink. The ice had melted and it was already watered down.

Jamie clinked his glass and toasted the couple and had most of the women in tears but Sawyer had kept it together. The last thing she'd cried about was losing Ben.

As she listened to more people go on and on about love and how great the wedding was going to be, Sawyer felt like the walls were slowly closing in, sucking the very breath from her lungs. As the catering crew cleared the dinner plates making room for desert, Sawyer found the time to slip outside. She ruffled through her clutch and pulled out a pack of Marlboro's and fished around for a lighter.

"Sawyer?" An older woman had walked through the night shadows.

"Shit." Not expecting company, Sawyer let the expletive fly from her mouth and she dropped the lighter.

Walking through the shadows, the woman's creamy white hair illuminated under the light outside of the hanger, and she walked over to her granddaughter and bent down to pick up the lighter. "That's a dirty word to come out of such a pretty mouth."

Sawyer closed her eyes and felt like she had just been called out by the highest ranking official in her family. "I know. I'm sorry."

Karen stood next to her oldest granddaughter, and sighed, "And those things will kill you." She handed Sawyer the lighter back with an expression only mothers and grandmothers could give.

"I don't do it a lot. I just..."

"You don't have to explain." Karen shook her head, "I've had a broken heart before, too."

Sawyer loved her grandmother and the kindness in her voice, "I just feel like everyone's moving forward and I keep going backwards. I mean Charlotte's getting married tomorrow. I bet you Keith will marry Bridget in a year or two. Jamie has a perfect little family and then look at me..."

"Oh Sawyer..." Karen shook her head and placed her hands on Sawyer's arms. "You are twenty six years old, you've got your whole life ahead of you." Pulling Sawyer in for a hug, Karen nodded and spoke softly, "I'm so proud of what you've accomplished. Graduating from Berklee and becoming an incredible asset to Red Bedroom Records." Karen took a step back and shrugged, "You are a strong, independent, _beautiful_ young woman and you have so much more to give to this world."

Simply nodding in response, Sawyer hugged her grandmother. "Thanks for saying that."

"Everything's going to be just fine, Sawyer." Karen took Sawyer's hand in hers and squeezed them "Remember that."

Sawyer took a few deep breaths and backed up against the cool metal building to steady her thoughts as her grandmother walked back inside. Every single one of those thoughts kept going back to Ben and she couldn't help but light a cigarette. She'd just taken her third drag when she'd heard a voice that had been in and out of her head for the last six months.

"So you're a smoker now?"

Coughing from her surprise, Sawyer waved the cloud of smoke away from her face and felt him take the cigarette from her hand.

He looked at it and threw it on the ground.

Sawyer covered her mouth and looked down, "No." Shaking her head she then corrected herself, "Well, yes, I do, but I don't. It's a stress thing." Since college she probably hadn't even made it through two packs, and that number would have been cut to one pack if she hadn't hit it harder than normal after their split.

Ben looked at the bottom of his shoe and to the ground to make sure the thing was out. "Something's got you stressed out?"

Sawyer all but bugged out her eyes. Yes, of course something had her stressed out. He was standing in front of her. She didn't want to answer his question and sighed, "I hope you didn't mess up your fancy, shiny shoe stomping it out."

"Nah." Ben shook his head and put his hands in his pockets, "It'll be fine."

There was an awkward silence for a minute and Ben looked at his ex-girlfriend, "Graham said I didn't miss much at the rehearsal, that it'll be easy to figure out what I'm supposed to do."

Sawyer nodded and then laughed, "But if you don't feel up to it I know a six year old who would be up to the task."

"Is that right?" He laughed and smiled.

"Bennet was a pro up there." Sawyer returned Ben's gesture and it felt like they were talking like old times. "And you know his dad is pretty good with words, so he probably has a speech if you need to get one."

Patting his chest pocket, Ben shook his head, "I wrote mine on the plane."

"Well aren't you special?" Sawyer crossed her arms and arched her brow, "Did you pick up a pair of those wings they hand out to the kids, too?" There was a smile spreading across her face and her heart was beating out of her chest.

He laughed and nodded, "But I gave them to Harrison."

Graham's nearly four year old nephew probably already had them pinned on his shirt. She looked at the handsome Coastie and could tell that he hadn't changed at all. "That was nice of you."

Grinning, Ben shrugged. He looked at the girl he'd loved for what seemed like forever and could see that their time apart had done Sawyer good. She was still the same old Sawyer but something was different. "Well look, I came out here to ask you..." Ben's phone started to ring and he pulled the phone from his pocket knowing he needed to take the call. "Hold on."

Ask her what! Sawyer was left hanging on his words and watched him walk away from her to answer his phone. She couldn't make out the whole conversation and only caught a few words. He was giving directions to someone. Whoever he was talking to was on their way to Tree Hill and Ben was telling them how to get to the hotel downtown.

"Yeah. Call me when you get checked in and I'll come over."

It must have been his date for the wedding because Ben wouldn't just go over to see anyone in the middle of the night after the rehearsal dinner. It stung Sawyer a little considering her date was her brother, but Ben wasn't tied down to her. She'd ripped those seams when she slept with Dillon. A mistake she was going to be regretting for years.

Ben said goodbye to his date who probably had big boobs and hair that didn't take half the morning to tame and then turned to Sawyer, "Sorry." He shook his head and slipped his phone in his pocket, "I wanted to ask you about Trout. Can I come by and see him in the morning before all the wedding stuff starts?"

Sawyer nodded at Ben with a sad shake of her head, "He's still your dog, too, Ben. You can see him whenever you want." Their charming and fun conversation hit reality when he'd brought up Trout. They weren't that happy couple who could laugh with each other, they weren't together; they were hardly even friends.

"You think he'll remember me?" Ben took a deep breath and looked to the blue eyed girl, and even though it was dark outside he could see her blue eyes shine.

Why did their dumb dog make her so emotional. She turned away for a second and then looked at Ben, "Of course he'll remember you."

"Alright." He nodded and then started to walk back towards the door to the hanger, "I'll come by about seven?"

That was early but Sawyer had to remember this was Ben. He was a morning person, one of the very things that made them polar opposites. "Yeah, sure. If I'm not up, and I probably won't be., the key..."

"I remember where you put the spare." Ben nodded and turned his back to Sawyer walking towards the hanger.

"Hey Ben?"

He turned around and arched his brow.

She took a deep breath and then sighed. After their pleasant-semi-awkward conversation, Sawyer couldn't help but wonder if she'd ruined things for forever. Maybe they could at least be friends. "Do you still hate me?"

Shaking his head, Ben's eyes met hers, "I never hated you, Sawyer. I just didn't like what you did. I still don't, but...I can't change it."

Watching his shadow disappear inside the hanger, Sawyer leaned back on the building again and looked up. Where was the comet? Or the shooting star she could cast her hopes and dreams on? It wasn't up there; the cloudless night painted an indigo picture of an uncertain future. The stars weren't aligning and Sawyer was gonna have to fall back on someone else's plan. Astronomy never was her strong suit.

**OTHOTH**

The next morning Sawyer woke up to her telephone and she figured it was Ben asking where that key was, he'd probably forgotten, but it wasn't. And Ben didn't forget where the key was because the house was so eerily quiet she knew he'd already come and gotten Trout.

"Charlotte, I swear...I do not want to make sure the bouquets are okay. The last time I checked they were fine!" Sawyer rolled over in her bed and blindly grabbed her phone and answered. "Yeah?"

"It seems my son won't answer his phone and I was wondering if you could give me the name of the best coffee house in town."

Sitting straight up in bed, Sawyer laughed, "Russ, hey. Good morning."

"Morning to you, too, Sawyer."

Waking up as fast as she could. Sawyer had a comfortable feeling settle over her. "How are you?"

Mr. Trammell laughed, "Fine, but this hotel coffee is junk and I could use a cup of the good stuff."

"Oh right. You wanted to know a coffee place." Sawyer racked her brain and it was taking her longer than she thought. "Uh, there's a Port City Java on Front Street, a Starbucks around the corner and a vendor who sells at the Market Street dock."

"And which one would you go to?"

Sawyer was never really very picky about who made her coffee, just the amount of sugar and creamer that went into it. "I know Ben liked the Market Street vendor."

"And that's close to the boat?"

"Right." Sawyer knew Russ had been to Tree Hill a few times but the older man wasn't really familiar with a lot.

Mr. Trammel had a sweet laugh and then asked Sawyer a very important question, "Now Sawyer, I know I'm far out of your league and way too old, but you wouldn't want to join me, would you? If you've got wedding duties then I'll understand. You're just the only person around town I know who's not the groom or the groom's fam..."

"I can meet you in twenty minutes, Russ." There wasn't a chance in hell she could say no to that sweet man. Even if there was some bad blood between his son and herself she'd always have a soft spot for Ben's dad.

"Yeah? That's great. I'll see you then."

Sawyer said goodbye to Mr. Trammell and then jumped out of bed to throw on something to wear other than her pajamas. The ride downtown was just as usual; quick and even faster when she threw the engine into fourth gear.

When she walked down the same wooden planks she would walk to meet the Diligence, Sawyer saw Russ leaning on the railing looking out over the Cape. As Sawyer made her way over to him she smiled and shook her head. Ben even stood the same way as his dad. Leaning on the wood, Sawyer turned to the plaid shirted man, "Hi, Russ."

The man with graying blonde hair nodded, "Beautiful morning, isn't it."

Sawyer watched a group of birds fly over the water and she nodded, "Almost like Memphis."

Remembering how they'd watched a flock of ducks fly over the house in Memphis, Russ smiled so his wrinkles showed, "Almost." Tilting his head toward the vendor, Russ lifted his brow, "How bout some breakfast?"

"I'd like that." Sawyer walked over to the cart with Russ and Mr. Trammel ordered his coffee black while Sawyer dumped three sugars and two little cups of cream in hers. She really did have to sweeten the tar tasting stuff up.

"You want a muffin?" He glanced over to Sawyer and pointed at the choices.

Politely declining, Sawyer laughed, "I am under strict orders not to eat anything that could cause my dress not to fit in..." Sawyer looked at her watch and smiled, "...nine hours."

Mr. Trammell pointed at the blueberry and cranberry muffins and smiled, "Well I'll get two, cause I'm really hungry." After paying for the coffee and muffins the two started walking a bit and Russ held out a muffin and smirked, "I won't tell if you if you won't."

Sawyer couldn't help but laugh at Russ and took the cranberry muffin. "Thanks."

They walked down the Riverwalk until they got close to the Diligence and sat down on one of the many benches. Sawyer picked at her cranberry muffin and took a deep breath, "Russ... When Ben and I... After I went to..." This was going to be an uncomfortable part to their morning but Sawyer knew that she needed to say something.

"That's old news, Sawyer."

She looked at Ben's dad and felt her heart hurt, "I'd just feel better if I got to apologize, and I know I was a broken record about it to Ben but I never got to say anything to _you_."

The older man's blue eyes softened he turned more attentively to Sawyer.

"I just... I never meant to hurt him. Or hurt you _because_ I hurt him."

Russ looked out across the water and took a deep breath. Memories from his own haunting past crept back to the forefront of his mind. He turned to Sawyer and nodded, "It was a little hard to hear from him. Ben was pretty upset about it but like I told him, sometimes things like this happen for a reason." Mr. Trammel looked out across the water again and shrugged, "His mom left years ago and it's probably the best thing that's happened to the both of us. This might be something you both needed?" Even if Mr. Trammell was Sawyer and Ben's biggest supporter out there, he also knew first hand what came of messes like this.

"You still love her, don't you, though? Ben's mom?" Sawyer looked at Russ knowing that he still did.

He nodded, "But just because I still love her doesn't mean I _should_." Mr. Trammell took a sip of his coffee, "But that's what love is, isn't? It's a gamble. Sometimes you end up with a bad hand but you place all your chips on the table and let them fall where they may."

"Is he happy in Texas?"

"I think so. He seems to enjoy himself out there. He's got some new friends, and the Braves even came to town in June. He flew me to Houston so we could watch our boys beat the Astros for Father's Day."

Sawyer smiled because Ben did love the Braves. "I'm glad they won."

"Me too." He laughed and shrugged, "It's an adjustment but he's getting used to it." Turning to Sawyer, Russ arched his brow, "What about you, Sawyer? Are you happy?"

Russ wasn't the kind of guy that couldn't be lied to so Sawyer shook her head, "No." The last six months had been miserable. She'd tried to think about dating again but it always felt wrong. It was too early, she should focus on work, wedding planning with Charlotte took priority; there were all kinds of reasons she tried to avoid it. Sure, she'd gone a few horrible first dates with a few guys but none of them were Ben.

"It gets easier." Mr. Trammell laughed and looked at Sawyer with a nod, "I'm sure you're gonna find somebody else. I bet most of the guys on your record label have a crush on you."

Sawyer shook her head laughing, "Oh no. I'm never dating any type of musician again. They need to be musically challenged." Dillon had been a disaster and while Ben wasn't a glorified music maker, he played the guitar better than most. And as everyone knew, that had been another failed relationship.

"Well, musician or not there's someone out there."

Sawyer knew that was true but right now and for the last two years she'd waned that guy to be Ben. She was going to have to come to face the fact that it wasn't going to happen.

Her phone started to buzz and she pulled it out knowing it was something to do with the wedding. She was right. Her mom had texted her a reminder to pick up Charlotte's something old.

"Duty calls?" Russ sipped his coffee and turned to Sawyer knowing she had to leave.

"Yeah." She put her phone back in her pocket and stood up. "I'm off to find Charlotte's something old because if I don't I'll be blamed for the divorce."

Mr. Trammel laughed at Sawyer, "I'll see you tonight."

"Thanks for breakfast."

"Anytime." Russ nodded and smiled at the girl who had turned his son's world upside down for both good and bad reasons. Mr. Trammell was still convinced that Sawyer was the kind of girl Ben needed, he just didn't know if _she_ was _it_.

Hurrying over to her car, Sawyer looked over her shoulder and glanced back at Ben's dad. He was so kind and so understanding; helpful when he didn't have to be.

After Sawyer got home she quickly rummaged around the house trying to find the best something old for Charlotte. When she pulled out a copy of _The Scarlet Letter_ ,a book that didn't exactly pertain to the bride to be, Sawyer found something tucked inside the pages. It was one of those fifty cent temporary tattoos Sawyer must have gotten when she read the book back in high school. It was both hilarious and old, two things that would make Charlotte's something old better than what anyone could have ever thought of.

Quickly changing into a button down shirt, Sawyer checked her watch and knew she had a hair appointment she couldn't miss. She drove like her regular manic self and got there before the rest of the bridal party.

Charlotte and her mom walked through the salon doors and the younger Scott laughed, "You're here early?"

"Yeah, well..." Sawyer got up and shrugged, "I think it's maid of honorly to be punctual." Pushing her sunglasses up into her hair, Sawyer arched her brow, "Figured today would be a good day to start living up to the name."

Charlotte caught Sawyer's tone and was going to say something but Haley interrupted her thought. "I really loved that pin your mom got. I haven't asked her yet, but do you know where she found it?" Haley was talking about the tiny blue heart that Peyton gave to Charlotte to pin against the ribbon around her bouquet.

Realizing that her aunt was referring to the something blue her mom gave Charlotte, Sawyer shook her head, "No, but..." Sawyer dug through her purse, "I've got your something old."

Wide eyes, Charlotte furrowed her brow, "Sawyer? What is that?"

"Well you know those dispensers at the grocery store? The ones you put fifty cents in? Well I found this..." Sawyer held out the tacky fake tattoo and laughed, "...in a book at the house. I couldn't not do it."

Haley bit her lip and looked to her daughter with a laugh, "You did always want one."

Charlotte turned to her mom and was expecting anger not hilarity. "Mom, that was different, and I wasn't getting _married_."

"Oh, come on. You can put it somewhere so the dress will cover it up. Graham might kinda dig it if you make it a slutty tramp stamp."

"Sawyer." Charlotte shook her head because Sawyer cousin obviously forgot that her mother had one.

Quickly remembering about Haley's tramp stamp, Sawyer's eyes met Haley's and she shook her head, "Sorry." As the blonde apologized Liza walked in followed by funny conversations about young children. While Sawyer listened to Liza talk about her two year old food fighter, Sawyer's ideas that kids were gross little munchkins were reaffirmed.

When the girls dispersed to their chairs to get shampooed, styled and made up, Sawyer pulled Charlotte into the bathroom.

"What are we doing in here."

Pulling out the tattoo, Sawyer laughed, "You can't not have something old." She twirled her finger. "Turn around and lift up your shirt."

Charlotte furrowed her brow, "You can't be serious?"

"Yup." She nodded with a laugh, "And you're gonna risk having a failed marriage because you're scared of a _temporary_ tattoo? Where's the girl that begged her mom for one in high school?"

Taking the small tattoo from Sawyer, Charlotte looked at it and laughed, "Is this Mardi Gras themed?"

"Maybe." Sawyer got a paper towel wet and shrugged, "Probably."

"Oh, God."

"Look, it's got purple on it. You like that color." Before Charlotte could do anything, the blonde slapped the tattoo on Charlotte and held the wet paper towel against her cousin's lower back. Laughing, Sawyer caught Charlotte's eye, "Quit worrying. This is hysterical and Graham will love it. You'll thank me after the honeymoon."

Both girls had a good laugh, and when Charlotte's tattoo was stuck to her skin they walked out of the restroom to get their hair and faces all made up.

**OTHOTH**

The next time there was any drama was about an hour until showtime when Charlotte had her classic bridezilla moment. She was fussing about the time, that she was hungry, that Brooke wasn't there with the dresses; and thanks to Sawyer's expense and Liza's love of a certain movie, the afternoon was saved just as Brooke, Millie, and Peyton walked in with dress bags.

Shrieks went around the room when Brooke spotted Charlotte's tattoo and Sawyer couldn't help but laugh. Brooke actually thought Charlotte had pulled a Haley and got a slutty little tramp stamp. Sawyer's laughter faded to frowns when she was thrown her chicken cutlets, though. Her mom apologized for the bad genetics all the time because Sawyer hated wearing those things, it was just one of the family things she'd ungratefully inherited from Peyton.

When all of the women heard a knock on the door the room got mysteriously quiet and Jamie stuck his head in, "We're all ready."

"Oh, God. Okay." Charlotte felt like she had a fever because her nerves were firing through her body so quickly. She hugged her mom before the older women left the bride and bridesmaids to line up.

Liza walked out of the room they were getting ready in and left Sawyer a split second to give Charlotte her best maid of honor pep talk. The blonde looked at her younger cousin and a took breath. "I read something on the internet that I'm supposed to say...but I don't remember what it was." Sawyer laughed and shrugged, "You look beautiful, and you're getting married! You and Graham are ridiculously adorable and I will probably...no promises, like your kids."Charlotte laughed but Sawyer nodded, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

The Scott girls walked out of the room and Sawyer couldn't resist giving Bennet a pound as he walked by. The blonde looked around and knew that Nathan needed to be by Charlotte's side. She looked at her cousin when Jamie escorted his mom down the aisle, "You want me to go get your dad."

"Yeah will you? I think he stepped outside."

Sawyer nodded and walked to the door. Once she opened it she saw her uncle standing on the stairs, "Hey Uncle Nathan, we're starting."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." He took a deep breath and walked in behind his niece.

She couldn't help but notice how nervously sweet he looked. It was a big day for him. Nathan was walking his only daughter down the aisle and Sawyer couldn't help but wonder if Lucas would get that day. A big part of her thought it was dumb that a father needed to give his daughter away but it was something that most men probably wanted to do for their girls. Maybe one day Lucas would get the opportunity?

Sawyer made her way back to her place after she got Nathan and watched as Liza started to head down the aisle. It was her turn next and Sawyer suddenly felt herself getting nervous. She had to make sure she didn't trip because as much as Sawyer liked the attention on her this was Charlotte's day.

Before she knew it, Sawyer's feet were leading her toward the groom and groomsmen.

One of those groomsmen couldn't take his eyes off the blonde as she made her way down the aisle. Ben tried not to stare at Sawyer but she was making it hard. When Charlotte made her appearance he hadn't even been paying attention because his eyes were fixed on Sawyer's.

A chill ran up Sawyer's arm and she tried to shake the feeling, and she watched a beaming Charlotte walk up to Graham. She wanted to turn and quickly glance at Ben but she didn't want to make eye contact. Standing at the alter close to him was hard enough. They probably would have never made it this far, Sawyer would have probably pulled a Runaway Bride and left him, but standing in the church with the ambiance of a wedding was bittersweet.

The vows, the rings, the soft sniffles from the guests; everything for Charlotte and Graham was happening and Sawyer even felt herself get a little emotional. It was a big day. She was standing at that alter watching the beginning of a union that was destined to last for decades, and just over the shoulder of the groom was the man that made Sawyer question destiny. They locked eyes for a split second and Sawyer felt her heart jump into her throat. Why was this so hard? Why did she have to sleep with Dillon. Why, why, why? It was the million dollar question.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Lieutenant and Mrs. Matthew Graham McFarland!"

Sawyer was taken from her own thoughts as she watched her friends walk arm and arm up the aisle. She waited a few moments and then stepped down to follow. Ben met her and held out his arm, "Come on, OJ. Our turn."

Locking her arm through his, Sawyer looked at Ben with a smile because he'd called her O.J. It wasn't a huge deal but that name was significant for her, significant for them. She couldn't dwell on it though. It was just his playful personality shining through. How could you not be happy after seeing Charlotte and Graham say 'I do'?

After the old flames made their way up the aisle, the sea of people in the hall grew as Liza and Crawford, and the bride and groom's parents made their way out of the chapel. Sawyer and Ben became unhinged with the crowd and the blonde was lost in a smattering of wedding guest as everyone filed out of the church and towards the reception. Sawyer went to grab her clutch and then made her way to her car.

"I thought you ditched your date for someone cooler?" Keith was leaning against his sister's car with a smirk and a squint.

Sawyer laughed and rolled her eyes, "Who could _ever_ replace you, Keith?"

He had a pretty good idea but kept quiet as they both got into the car. "So are you ready to give your big speech as the maid of honor?"

Turning towards her brother as she cranked the old engine, Sawyer laughed, "When have I ever been ready for anything?"

"Good point." Keith laughed and felt his sister pull onto the street as she headed for their aunt and uncle's house.

There was a valet service waiting to park car so the guests wouldn't have to mess with parking, but Sawyer didn't like the way the sleazeball with slicked back hair was eyeing her sea blue baby.

"Nice ride." The guy opened up Sawyer's door and moved so she could get out.

Sawyer stayed firm in her seat and gave the valet a raised eyebrow that could have hit the moon. "I'll take her."

"Uh..." The valet had never been turned down for service and looked blankly at her.

Keith got out of the car and laughed, shaking his head, "Trust me man. Let her take it."

Sawyer nodded at her brother in thanks and popped the clutch to switch gears. She pulled into a parking space and leaned over to open up the passenger side dash compartment. A folded up piece of yellow legal paper was tucked between a few CDs. She pulled it out and stored it in her new found chicken cutlet cleavage. Content with her speech's hiding place, Sawyer adjusted her boobs in her dress and checked her reflection in the review mirror. Her eyes told the story of a tired soul who was ready to get back to normal. There was probably a large part of her that thought after his six months in Texas he'd come prancing back to North Carolina so they could try again but she didn't know what his status was. Hopefully he'd be coming back for good, but it wasn't a guarantee; it was simply an empty wish that seemed less and less likely of coming true. It was her own fault for thinking that, but she knew he still loved her. It was a feeling that wouldn't ever go away.

Guests were walking in clumps to the backyard and Sawyer followed aimlessly until she found herself in the middle of the tent. People made small talk for a little while, and when Charlotte and Graham made their formal entrance Sawyer watched them take to the floor. They sweetly swayed with the music and Sawyer felt someone walk up next to her.

"Don't get mad if I step on your toes."

Looking up to her left, Sawyer smiled and shook her head, "You won't."

Ben looked down to his two left feet, "I might."

The father of the bride and mother of the groom took to the floor and Sawyer knew that the dance she and Ben would share was coming up. Sawyer could feel the beat of the rhythm echo off her skin. Smirking, she let out a small laugh, "I probably wouldn't have picked this song."

He laughed and started to smile, "Of course you wouldn't have. If it's not Costello, it's not worth it." His grin was growing and he shook his head.

Sawyer felt herself grin as well, "And you would say that 'Walking in Memphis' would be a perfectly good wedding song, wouldn't you?"

Taking her hand in his, Ben lead Sawyer to the floor and shrugged his shoulders, "Nah. I think I'd lean more towards Sam or Otis." He knew she would be surprised that he'd said that because music was something they hardly ever agreed on. And as much as he loved his hometown ballad, there was something about Sam Cooke and Otis Redding's music that seeped the feelings every true relationships were made of.

"Sam. You'll have to pick Sam. Otis is..." Sawyer tilted her head and narrowed her eyes.

Ben could feel themselves getting back into the rhythm of their old selves and he wanted to probe her for the sake of probing, "I think I'd go with Otis."

"What?" Sawyer's feet mirrored Ben's motions and she could feel his hand on the small of her back, "No, no. 'That's Where it's At', 'Nothing Can Change This Love', 'Bring it on Home to Me'. There's no way you can't pick one of those."

Ben laughed and hung his head close to Sawyer's shoulder. His eyes met her ocean blue orbs. They were as cool as the late afternoon clouds but burned holes straight through his chest. "Still gotta go with Otis."

Sawyer rolled her eyes and moved her hand across his back, "This is why we never would have worked."

Ben shook his head and looked just past her, "It's _why_ we would have worked, Sawyer."

They both got quiet and they let the music speak for themselves, but they were dancing to a whole different tune than everyone else. The bass rattled their chests, the piano provided a symphonic melody that kept their rhythm in sync- close but, an arms length's apart. The subtle undertones of the saxophone gave Sawyer goosebumps and she knew that as this song died down so would they. "Ben?"

He turned to look at her with a somber face. "Hmm?"

"What Otis song would you pick... Just out of curiosity, I mean?" While the outside world and rest of the wedding party danced to Charlotte and Graham's song, Sawyer and Ben were listening to their own. Sawyer knew he was hearing it too.

Taking a deep breath, Ben shook his head, "It doesn't matter."

It did. It kind of did. She knew the one he was thinking about. She knew the _exact_ one he was thinking about. Back when they weren't having dates at the bowling alley, they'd been sitting with a bottle of wine at Tric listening to old records. Turning tables and spinning 45s until they wouldn't spin anymore. Sawyer remembered her music. Life had its own little soundtrack, you just had to know when to listen.

With a head was full of Otis Redding, Sawyer looked up to Ben and could see it. It was written all over his face. They were listening to the same song. She just wanted him to say it. "It's the one we listened to the night of our anniversary." She laughed at herself and looked up to him, "I'd forgotten all about it but you showed up to Tric as I was leaving with dinner and a box full of records. What was the name of that song? 'For our...' 'For your...'?" Sawyer couldn't remember and looked to Ben for the answer. He knew it. He had to know it.

Ben cleared his throat to stop her. He could hear it too but what he was hearing in his head wasn't matching up with his heart, "I'm staying in Texas." He hadn't meant to tell her in the middle of the dance floor, but it slipped out of his mouth.

Just when Sawyer thought she saw a light at the end of a six month tunnel her heart stopped, "What?" The old Redding song that was playing in their heads stopped and she furrowed her brow, "Huh?"

"I was gonna tell you later. My assignment's up, but I'm staying in Texas. I'm not coming back."

"Ben..." Sawyer wasn't ready to hear all this. It didn't matter if they'd been broken up for a day, or broken up for a year. It was still hard to swallow, especially when she loved him like she did.

"So I want you to do me a favor? Can you do that?"

Sawyer felt her chest heat with emotion and she look to the Coastie and shrugged with a glossy sheen coating her eyes, "What is it?"

"Find someone. Find a guy who's good for you, who's right for you, okay? Someone who can be what you need him to be." Ben loosened his grip as their dance came to a close, "Find someone to love. Or let him find you."

He wished her love and happiness even if it wasn't with him. For just the short while they'd been together since he'd been back in town, Ben knew it wasn't humanly possible for them to just be friends. Sawyer was an all or nothing kind of girl and they'd have to have an all or nothing kind of relationship. They could probably try being friends but it wouldn't work, and to be honest with himself, he wasn't ready for that. One day he may think of Sawyer and just see a girl, but right now, she wasn't just a girl. She was _the_ girl. To get back in that arena would take healing and time. It was better off if they simply stayed away from each other. It was too easy to fall into old routines and that meant it would be too easy to get hurt again.

The music stopped and Sawyer stood in front of Ben with a hurt look on her face. She brushed by him without saying a word and headed for the door of the tent.

"Sawyer..." Ben turned around and followed her outside.

"Look...I'd like to be alone, okay." The blonde turned and hoped he wouldn't follow her, but Ben didn't do a whole lot of things that Sawyer ever asked. "Ben, please!" Sawyer stopped and took a deep breath. "Leave me alone." She could feel her eyes prickle with tears and she really didn't want to ruin her make-up.

"Sawyer..."

"What? What? What do you want?" She held out her hands and looked to the water and then back to Ben, "I am such an idiot." Shaking her head, Sawyer laughed and crossed her arms, "I was perfectly naïve enough to think that you'd come back to town and we'd get to start over. That we'd done our time apart so we'd pick up where we left off." She used her thumb to catch a tear and she slowly licked her salty lips, "But I guess you can't keep writing a story when the ending is already finished?" Taking one last look at him, she shook her head and held hands out, "Just..." She started to walk away and this time he didn't follow her.

Ben watched her disappear to the other side of the tent and he shoved his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes. Why was life so difficult? Why did love have to be so complicated? He didn't have the answers and he wondered how it could seem so easy for Charlotte and Graham and near impossible for him and Sawyer.

Keith walked out of the tent and smiled at Ben, "You about ready for your speech?"

Ben had temporarily forgotten about his duty as best man and pulled out the piece of paper that was folded in his pocket. He'd had plenty of time during his flight to scribble his thoughts on a napkin, and as he skimmed over what he had he shook his head. It made perfect sense and it was from the heart, but it wasn't the kind of thing he was supposed to be saying at Charlotte and Graham's wedding. It had ended up being more about something else.

Crumpling the napkin in his hand, Ben took a deep breath and tossed it non-nonchalantly over to the table housing empty champagne flutes.. "Guess I gotta wing it?" Ben walked by Keith and patted him on the back as if it would give him his own sense of confidence.

Keith could tell something was a little bit off and picked to crumbled up napkin curious what it had said. Peyton walked out of the tent and her eyes were bugged like they were whenever she got worried about something. "Hey? Go find your sister. She's supposed to be in here."

Keith nodded and haphazardly shoved the napkin in his pocket while he started to look for his older sister. He found her at the swing set on the other side of the yard. She was sitting in a swing and was looking down at the various pieces of bark by her feet.

"Hey?"

Sawyer looked up and sighed, "Hey."

"You and Ben have an argument?"

Looking at Keith, Sawyer flashed him a sarcastic, 'How did you know?" look. She shrugged and looked to her brother. "I need to move on. Stop thinking about what could have been, and think about what _will_ be." Sawyer cleared her throat, stood up, and smoothed out her dress, "He wants me to find someone, so that's what I'm gonna do. It's not worth living in the past when there's clearly no future." Sawyer nodded at her little brother and then tilted her head towards the tent. "So come watch me give my speech, help me get drunk, and find me someone cute I can spend the night with." She used her finger to get Keith to follow her, and as they walked she fished her keys out from her clutch, "I was kidding about that last part, but I do want to get drunk, so you'll have the honor of driving us back."

"In _your_ car?"

"In _my_ car?" Sawyer nodded with a laugh, "It's about time I grow up, don't ya think? Tomorrow I'm turning over a new leaf."

Keith thought she was already making strides in that department.

Catching her brother's look, Sawyer shrugged, "A bigger leaf."

So that was that. The beginning she thought she'd already started was turning in a whole different direction. She couldn't hold on to Ben or the idea of him anymore. She was twenty six years old, young, beautiful, there were other things in life she wanted to do besides sulk over a boy and make snide comments about everyone's life. The comments part would be hard to shake but she was going to venture out into the adult world. Ditch the pop tarts and maybe try some sushi, clean as often as the average person, hell, maybe even help an old lady cross the street. It was just the start of a list that could go on and on and on.

And at the bottom of that list was gonna be find someone. Find someone who loved her. Or let him find her. Then just maybe, maybe, Sawyer would feel better again.

And maybe it would happen sooner than expected?

**OTHOTH**

**With false hopes, Sawyer had gone into the wedding thinking one thing only to have that door slammed in her face, so I think it's fair to say that this may very well be the end of Sawyer and Ben. Or maybe not. Always gotta throw that in there. ha. We'll see. But aside from Sawyer and Ben as a couple, Sawyer's got a new lease on life. Maybe she'll stick with it, knowing Sawyer, maybe she won't. Next chapter we'll see what's she's up to as I jump a few more months time. Those of you who have lingering questions...they may just get answered. **

**My reviewers are epic. It still amazes me that I get such great turn out for a _spin off_ of a spin off. So cool! Thank you all!**

**Betsy****: There was sort of kind of a Bawyer reunion in here, but I doubt it's the kind of reunion you were hoping for. Ben's not fully out of the picture though. He'll still pop into the story again.**

**Anon****: I know, Sawyer and Ben not together is a little depressing, right? There are plot twists ahead that could lead these two back together, though. It's just a matter of context.**

**Joan****: Big thanks to you for your Charlotte review the other day. It literally compelled my fingers to get this chapter up and running. Sorry that there wasn't a miracle last chapter, that they didn't break-up and make-up. The story's not done yet. Who knows what could happen. **

**BDavis****: Oh don't worry about getting the review in a little late. No hard feelings. I'm sorry you cried last chapter but I will take that as a sincere compliment. Things should be looking better for Sawyer in the future so the tears are probably over with.**

**Questions, comments, concerns, thoughts...? **

**Review Please**


	9. Must You Throw Dirt in My Face

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 9: Must You Throw Dirt in My Face**

**Disclaimer: Lets say it together. I do not own anything related to One Tree Hill.**

**AN: Hey y'all. Long time no update. Ugh, I know. I know. This summer as a whole has been less than pleasant with the exception of last week. After dealing with personal issues I can gladly say things will and are getting better on the updating front. But enough about my bad summer, on to Sawyer. I know all of you are curious as to what she does post-Ben. So here it is. OH, and this one is set within two main time frames. The first two sections are set in December (Christmas Eve and Christmas) and then the last two are set in the end of March. Just a heads up. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

As Sawyer walked down Front Street the crisp December air made her breath white against the dark sky. Winter was one of Sawyer's favorite seasons. For some reason the Cape smelled extra salty and music always sounded better when it was cool outside. Don't ask her way, she wouldn't be able to give you the exact reasons, it was just the way it was.

"Merry Christmas!" A man who was struggling to stay upright on the sidewalk slurred his words and smiled at the twenty-six year old. He had taken holiday cheer to the highest level.

Being polite, Sawyer nodded, "Merry Christmas."

It was Christmas Eve and Sawyer had just left her aunt and uncle's annual party. It wasn't that she didn't like being there. She did. She always did, but there was someone downtown she wanted to see more. His name was Henry but she called him Reeves. His last name sounded so much sexier than his first name. His scruff and shaggy hair made him seem a little dangerous and he was pretty hot and tempting. How long had they known each other? A few months. How long had they been actually dating? Just a little while, but something about this new guy had her smitten. Could it have been the dreaded re-bound she was getting herself into? Maybe. But Reeves was a fun guy who left excitement on her lips. Was he want she needed? Maybe not, but he was want she wanted.

They were pretty good together. The liked the same music, and liked the same beer. He made her laugh and he could listen to her talk about being in the studio from dusk till dawn. They always had a good time together and Sawyer needed that. After going through the ringer with her last boyfriend, she needed something light and fluffy. They weren't playing for keeps just yet but that didn't mean they couldn't on down the road.

Sawyer checked her watch and knew the bar was close to closing time since it was a holiday and all, but she opened the doors to Front Street Brewery anyway. Reeves was the bartender, another something extra that added to his sex appeal and Sawyer felt her pulse race when she saw him. He was dressed in his usual bar-tending attire, black t-shirt and black pants. His eyes were dark and the dim light hanging over the bar made him seem mysterious. Why did he have such an interesting aura? She probably wouldn't ever really know, but she knew that she liked it.

"Last call?" Sawyer took a seat at the bar and arched her brow when he walked over to her.

Tossing the rag over his shoulder, Reeves crossed his arms, "I didn't think you'd make it." He made her a drink and smiled.

Shrugging, Sawyer flashed him a smirk and sipped her alcohol. "I left the family function a little early." She looked around to the few people who were still lingering and then back to Reeves, "How long will you be here?"

"I'm closing." He glanced at the clock behind him, "Which is in about twenty minutes." He put some dirty glasses in a kitchen bin and laughed, "You stick around, you might see me throw some of these guys outta here."

Kinking her brow, Sawyer took another sip of her drink, "Oh really?"

Nodding, Reeves grabbed a few more glasses, "Yep."

Sawyer was transfixed on the guy in front of her because every time he reached for something his shirt slid up, exposing his arm tattoo little by little. It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before. She'd actually already seen _everything_, but something about his inked out arm was sexy. She did have a thing for guys with tattoos. All the guys she'd ever dated for any length of time had some sort of body art. It was actually quite surprising, even to herself, that she didn't have one yet. Maybe one of these days she'd get one. Maybe Reeves could go with her. He was obviously a seasoned pro.

"Slide me that glass, will you?"

The blonde twenty-something reached for the glass and slid it down the bar right into Reeves' hand.

"Nice slide." He set it down in the bin that was headed for the kitchen and looked at the girl he'd been seeing for a little while. "Ever think about tending?"

Laughing out loud, Sawyer shook her head. "I did it for a week my senior year in college and that was a _big_ mistake."

Reeves started to smile and the brown haired twenty-five year old rinsed out the other glasses he had to get. "So it was like that, huh? Party a little too much instead of studying?"

Sawyer gave Reeves an eye that told him everything he needed to know. Of course she'd had a little _too_ much fun.

He knew how it was. He'd done the same thing, but by some swift chance he'd been able to hold his own and actually make some money while also getting half-way decent grades. "Well, and you went to Berklee, so it was probably crazy up there. All that music, all those Boston bars." Reeves would have liked to have known Sawyer back then. But in all actuality, she probably hadn't changed that much.

Nodding, Sawyer agreed. "But it was great." Sawyer had mostly fond memories of college. Minus everything to do with Dillon, she wouldn't trade any of it. "We had all these musicians who'd really made something of themselves come in to class just to say hey to professors. They'd almost always find a guitar or a piano and play for us."

Reeves saw the light in Sawyer's eye as she raved about music. He was happy for her that she got to do exactly what it was she loved. He was as simple guy who tended bar and she probably deserved more, but right now he'd take what he could get. Girls like Sawyer didn't come around often.

"One more man?" A UNCW student who apparently didn't go home for Christmas leaned against the bar with an empty glass. His eyes told the story of a kid who'd had been drinking since early in the day.

Reeves shook his head and tilted his head toward the clock. "Nah. We're 'bout to close."

"Come on." The college kid leaned over the bar and widened his eyes. "I won't tell."

Wiping off the bar, Reeves shook his head again. "Come back tomorrow night."

Taking a deep breath, the college co-ed rolled his eyes and his glass to Reeves as he took a seat next to Sawyer. He eyed her figure and smirked. "Christmas came early." He licked his lips and batted his eyes at her, but the eye part wasn't on purpose. His alcohol consumption was doing that to him.

Sawyer set her drink down and turned to the drunk guy. "And why do you say that?" She looked at Reeves and winked at him, letting him know she was just gonna mess with this guy. Reeves knew she could hold her own and he went to let the other bar patrons know it was quitting time.

"All your missing is a bow, but I can unwrap you." The guy was a nutcase if he thought any of this was going to land him Sawyer.

Turning away so she could laugh, Sawyer cleared her throat. "I think your getting kind of eager there, cowboy."

Cowboy? The guy liked the image of himself as a rough and tough western hero. "How about we both get outta here. I'll be your cowboy and you'll be my damsel. We can go to City Limits."

The guy was pulling out all the stops but Sawyer didn't want to walk to the bar down the street, and even if she did, she certainly wasn't going to go with him. "What if I told you I'm here with someone?"

Glossy eyed, the guy looked around and didn't see anyone. "You're talking about me, right?"

Squinting her eyes, Sawyer shook her head. "No. But what _is_ your name, anyway?"

"Adam."

"Well, Adam. I think you are probably a nice guy, but..." Sawyer saw Reeves walking up to them and nodded, "I've already got plans."

Reeves leaned down to Sawyer and his scruff ticked her cheek. "I called him a cab."

Furious that the asshole bartender was apparently with this beautiful girl, Adam furrowed his brow. "You can do better, you know."

Sawyer didn't particularly appreciate that and spun her stool toward the guy and arched her brow. "And you suppose you're better? Please. Come on now." She sippped her drink giving Adam a scowl.

Reeves was back behind the bar finishing up the rest of his last call duties and heard Sawyer's tone get a little hostile. "Hey man why don't you head to the door. Your ride's coming."

Holding out his arms, Adam shook his head. "Don't tell me what the fuck to do." He started to get up to show he wasn't gonna take Reeve's shit but nearly fell over when he stood up.

Tossing the rag he had on the bar, Reeves looked at the guy and shook his head. "Door's that way, pal."

"Fuck you, man." The guy was wobbling as he tried to stand alone and nodded slowly. He put his hand on Sawyer's shoulder and slid it down her back. "Let's get out of this hell hole."

"Uh...I don't think so." Sawyer wiggled her back away from his grip and shook her head.

Reeves came up behind the guy and grabbed him by the arm. He'd been around his fair share of drunken idiots, but this one wasn't going to get Sawyer. "Let me _show_ you the door."

"Shit." The guy tried to jerk his arm away from Reeves but it wasn't any use, the bartender was more or less dragging his sorry ass to the front door.

"Merry fucking Christmas." Reeves opened up the front door of the brewery and threw the guy towards the curb as the cab pulled up.

Sawyer felt her heart start to race and her pulse had to be higher than it had ever been before. She noticed they were alone and while Reeves was messing with the front locks, Sawyer walked up to him.

He felt her behind him and slid the last lock in place. "Sorry. He was getting out of..."

As soon as he turned around Sawyer kissed him and it wasn't a polite kiss. It was a hot and heavy, nobody's here, I can make out with you as much and as long as I want too, kiss. Reeves about lost his balance but Sawyer had that way about her. She made him feel like he was in need of sobering up.

She'd fished her fingers through his belt loops and started pulling him towards the bar.

He started laughing and pulled away from her. "Where are we going?"

Sawyer kissed his neck and then his lips. "Away from the windows."

Reeves kissed her and this time he was leading. She was in a dress and he couldn't wait to see what she had on underneath it, but he was still on the clock. "I gotta finish locking up."

Sawyer didn't want to stop but as she pulled away she looked at her surroundings and knew that finishing what they started at the bar, on the bar, next to the bar; wherever they would have ended up wasn't going to be comfortable. She stepped away from him and nodded. Running her hands through her hair, she grabbed her purse and walked towards the back door. "We can finish this later."

Reeves hadn't meant to seem like he wanted to postpone their rendezvous for more than ten minutes but it was better that they did. It would have been a health code violation for sure. "I'll call you tomorrow." He kissed her and walked her to the back.

"Bye." Sawyer stepped out into the night and knew her car was just a short walk away. The temperature seemed to have dropped a bit from when she'd first gotten there, but she breathed in the cold night like she would a cigarette and felt the freezing air hit her lungs. Winter was sexy. She felt sexy. And it had been a while since she'd felt like this.

Her car was waiting on her like a good pet and she cranked the engine ready to head home. The heat didn't kick on until she pulled onto her street but it didn't bother her. She was still steaming from her and Reeves near adventure at the bar.

The headlights rested on a car in front of her house and the reflection made her wonder who was there. As she got closer she recognized the make and model but didn't know why he was there. Sawyer pulled into the driveway and saw him sitting on the front step.

"Are you not freezing?" Sawyer got out of her car with a laugh and walked toward her brother.

Keith shook his head, and when his sister pulled out her keys, he tilted his head toward the car. "Actually...before you go in. I need to take you somewhere."

Sawyer narrowed her eyes and looked at her brother for clues. "And where are you taking me?"

Keith had something in his hands and shook his head. "I can't tell you." He held out the soft material and smiled. "Put this on."

"I'm sorry, what?" She quickly realized that her brother wanted to take her somewhere...blindfolded. "Hell no. I'm not letting my Christmas Eve turn into a horror movie."

Keith laughed and shook his head. "I'm not gonna kill you, Sawyer. I just don't want you to know where we're going."

"And I'm just supposed to believe you?"

"Yeah."

Sawyer took a deep breath and thought about it. This was her brother she was looking at. Her _little_ brother who was harmless. What was the worse thing they could be doing?

"Alright. Fine, but if you kill me. I don't have a will so..."

Keith laughed as he and his sister walked towards his car, "I'm not going to _kill you_, Sawyer." He watched her open her door, "And besides. If I did, you'd haunt my ass outta Tree Hill."

"Oh I'd follow you out of Tree Hill." Sawyer sat down in her brother's car and wondered where they could be going. She didn't know, and she didn't really care, but she was starting to get interested. "Wait? Is this place your taking me, or this thing you're showing me...does it have to do with all those jobs you have?"

Keith let the old Corvette come to life and he looked at his sister with a smile. "Maybe."

They started rolling down pavement and Sawyer suddenly felt like this Christmas may be her favorite. It wasn't for any one particular reason, though. Whatever Keith was showing her was bound to be important, she was happy with Reeves, and for the first time in a while she was happy with herself. She hadn't weened off of Pop-Tarts and she still had a sharp tongue but Sawyer was starting to feel good again.

**OTHOTH**

Christmas morning. What was that like at Sawyer's house? Chaotic. Rushed. Smelled like something was burning. That's what it was like. Being the last minute person she was, Sawyer was trying to find something she could give to Keith. It wasn't that she didn't love him enough to get him something cool or something new, she just didn't have the time- or she didn't make the time. One or the other. It was all perspective, really.

"Come on. There's gotta be something in here." Sawyer was half-way dressed as she opened up the hallway closet in search of a gift. This closet in particular held more junk than anyone should have in their house put together. There were things she'd never opened, things from her high school days; all kinds of things. It a general sense, it was a crap pile. "Ha...here." Sawyer fished out a white looking box and nodded to herself. It was a grilled cheese maker. Something she'd gotten from someone, some Christmas or birthday ago. She didn't need it, she obviously never used it. Maybe Keith would?

Sawyer almost tossed it back in the pile of stuff when she thought about Bridget. Keith's girlfriend knew her way around the kitchen and she probably laughed at contraptions like this but that was the thing. She wasn't giving it to Bridget, she was giving it to her brother.

Snatching the thing out of the closet, Sawyer hustled into the kitchen and wrapped the sandwich maker in old newspaper. She didn't have Scotch tape so she used Duct tape and it looked like a serious disaster by the time she got it all finished, but it would work. She wasn't as artsy as her mother so who could really blame her?

Her phone started to ring and she knew it was one of her immediate family members asking where she was. Instead of answering it, she talked to the device like whoever was calling could hear her. "I know. I'm late. I'm on my way!" Sawyer eyed her burnt Pop-Tart and figured she could go without it. Her mom probably had food at the house, anyway. She threw on her shirt, grabbed the rest of the presents, felt bad when Trout tried to follower her out, and hurried to her car ready to do Christmas with her folks.

Every time she drove to that old yellow house, Sawyer had a feeling of nostalgia run through her veins. There was something about its quaintness that she secretly adored.

"I'm here." Sawyer walked through the front door of her parents house and smiled at her family. It was just her brother and parents, and it was nice like that. Bridget was with her mom and dad so it was the four Scotts like it had been when they were younger. The only difference was that Sawyer was far too old to push Keith down in order to get to the presents first. At least she told herself that.

"Nice of you to join us." Peyton walked down the hallway smiling at Sawyer and handed Lucas a cup of coffee. She watched Sawyer put down the gifts and then hugged her oldest. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Mom."

Keith was sitting on the couch and got up eagerly. "So now that the chosen one is here..." He cut his eyes to his sister and smiled, "...I want to take y'all somewhere."

Peyton swatted at Keith and shook her head. "Oh, she is _not_ the chosen one."

Sawyer moved away from her mom positive that she was the chosen one and hugged her father. "Can't I say hey to Dad first before we leave?"

Lucas put on his best squint eye and laughed. "Ha. Merry Christmas, Sawyer."

Hugging their dad, Sawyer had one arm around him and then looked to her brother. "Now we can go."

Peyton looked around and didn't know what they were doing. "Where are we going? We're all here."

Sawyer eyed her twenty-four year old brother and then looked at her mom and dad. "You're gonna wanna see this."

"What's all this about? I thought we're doing Christmas morning here?" Lucas furrowed his brow and turned to Peyton.

"Don't look at me. This is something your children have up their sleeve." Peyton shook her head and still wondered what was going on.

Sawyer nudged Keith in the side, "It was all him, actually. I'm just an innocent bystander."

Peyton wanted to laugh. "Innocent?" She folded her arms and leaned her hip against the couch. "You?"

"As a matter of fact..." Sawyer nodded and walked over to her parents coats, "...yes." She tossed them their jackets and opened the front door. "Here, come on."

"Are we supposed to be confused?" Lucas slipped his arms through his sleeves and walked with his son towards the front door.

"Yeah." Keith laughed and when they got to his car he pulled out two black handkerchiefs. He looked at his parents with a funny smile and held them out. "These are for you."

Sawyer took one from her brother and laughed. "Don't worry. We're not going to do anything crazy. We'll all get back alive and well." She started to tie one around her mom's face.

"Luke, what are we getting ourselves into?" She laughed and reached for him until she felt his arm.

"I don't know."

Keith watched his dad tie his own and them helped them get in the car. "This is just so you don't know where we're going."

Peyton's shoulder rubbed against her husband's and she leaned into him. "Do you know anything about this?"

Lucas laughed and put his hand on he leg. "I don't know anything."

"Don't try to peek. I'm watching you both." Sawyer turned around from the front seat and nodded at her parents.

Peyton laughed and held out her hands and knew Sawyer and Keith weren't kidding around. "Alright. Alright." She tried to think of where they could be going and the airport popped into her mind. "Hey Luke? Maybe they're taking us on a trip? The honeymoon we never got?"

Lucas laughed and wrapped his arm around his wife. "We never needed one."

"Sorry I ruined that for you, by the way." Sawyer laughed thinking back on her birth which had caused such a fuss.

"You didn't ruin anything, Sawyer." Lucas shook his and tried to slip the blindfold from his eye.

"Agh, agh...Dad. You'll _ruin_ the surprise." Sawyer shook her head with a pointed finger.

"Why does it seem like you know all about this thing we're going to when your _brother_ was the one who supposedly did it all?" Peyton turned to the sound of her daughter's voice and arched her brow under the blindfold.

Keith turned on Covil Avenue and laughed, "Because I blindfolded and brought her here last night."

"It's true." Sawyer felt Keith's car come to a stop and she looked outside.

Lucas furrowed his brow. How on earth had he managed to pull that one off? Keith must have had to drug her to cooperate. Sawyer wasn't the kind to follow, she had always been a leader of sorts.

Keith turned back to his parents and smiled at their blank expressions and blindfolded eyes. "Ready?"

"Yes! The anticipation is killing me." Peyton really wanted to know where they were and what they were seeing.

Sawyer helped their dad out of the car and Keith helped their mom. The youngest Scott fumbled with a set of keys and opened up a door that led inside.

Lucas instantly felt a sense of familiarity run over him as he stepped inside on the hard floor. He could smell his past and he knew that wherever they were he'd been before. The parents still had on their blindfolds and Keith hit the lights. Peyton felt like she'd been to this place before and for whatever reason it made her think of Luke.

Preparing herself, Sawyer knew that she was gonna cry. Not because this was going to be sad, but this was something Keith had done without any thought to the contrary. Their mom had no idea and their dad had no idea. She didn't even know what he'd been saving up for until he brought her last night. Looking around the walls and seeing the mechanical lifts and oil stains, Sawyer had a calming sense of peace run through her. This place was like home.

"I uh...well, you both know I've been working a lot to save up some money." Keith had been so excited to show them but now he felt a little nervous.

Peyton knew. She certainly knew how busy he was. Anytime she ever wanted to see her son he was always off working somewhere, doing something.

"You can take them off now." Keith watched both his mom and dad start to take their blindfolds off and he watched his father's reaction first.

"Wha...Wha...How?" Lucas' forehead had deep set wrinkles and he started to scratch his hairline.

There he went with his mumbling. Peyton moved over to Lucas as she looked around the shop. She wrapped her arm around him and a tidal wave of nostalgia threw her to high school. When he'd fixed her car he fixed her heart. Now, nearly thirty years later they were married with two kids and one of those kids was following in Lucas' footsteps. Keith wasn't going to write. He was going to fix cars. They were standing in the middle of Uncle Keith's old shop.

"I bought it. Outright. The whole thing." The youngest Scott walked around the empty space and started spitting his ideas out. He knew where the tools were gonna go, where his office would be. The signs, the tires; all of it.

Lucas walked around to one of the lifts and tried to wrap his head around everything that had just unfolded. He was in shock. The guy that had owned it had been nice enough to let him come in and work on his car when he pleased, but now it was back in the family.

"Oh and wait..." Sawyer ran over to Keith's car and had something old and gray in her hands. She tossed her brother the old sweatshirt and Keith held it up.

"I was thinking I could use this."

Peyton had another round of deja-vu smack her in the face when she saw Lucas' old sweatshirt and she walked over to him. Lucas had spent a lot of time with his uncle in this shop and she knew just how much it meant to him. "He'd be glad Keith has it."

"I know I just..." Lucas swallowed hard and started walking towards his son. "I...I..."

Keith knew his dad was struggling to find the right words but he knew what he was trying to say. He hugged his father and patted him on the back. "But I'm gonna need your help."

Lucas nodded and looked at his son with kindness he could never emulate. "I learned from the best."

Sawyer was standing by her mom and felt her mom pull her close to her side. Peyton looked around in awe of what her son had been able to so secretively pull off. "This is something else, isn't?"

Feeling her eyes prickle with tears, the twenty-six year old nodded her head. "Yeah. Keith's gonna get the garage up and running. I'm working with you at Red Bedroom." She laughed thinking about their career choices. "You'd think we would have been a little more creative with our jobs."

Peyton shook her head and looked at her daughter. "It runs in the family."

That it did. What else would Sawyer be doing other than working in the music industry? Keith had helped his dad on all of their old cars since he was old enough to hold a wrench and now both of the kids were doing exactly what they loved. But it was more than just work that ran in the family, it was so much more. Sawyer had things coming up in her life that would shadow both her mom and dad almost to a tee. Good things, bad things; all sorts of things. She just had a little bit of waiting to do to find out what those were.

**OTHOTH**

Winter had taken it's toll on the North Carolina landscape but bare branches and naked trees were turning green again, brightening up the roads of Tree Hill now that it was late March. Sawyer was on her way to work and this day she was pretty on top of the world. Most days she felt like that, but this day added extra exception. She'd left twenty-six in her dust when she'd left for Tric this morning and now she was ready to face on the world as a freshly turned twenty-seven year old. The traffic lights seemed to take notice because she didn't catch a single one on her way downtown and when she stopped in the closest Port City Java there wasn't anyone in line. Talk about starting the day off on a good foot.

Peyton was setting up in the recording booth when her daughter walked in. "Well, well...look who it is. My twenty-_seven_ year old."

Sawyer rolled her eyes at her mom and sat down at her desk. "Mmm-huh, just means you're getting older."

Laughing. Peyton picked up a few things from her desk and walked over to Sawyer's. She set down the hefty amount of paperwork with a facetious smile. "Happy Birthday, kid."

Holding up the papers, Sawyer raised both her bows, "Gee, thanks." She looked over what she needed to go over before the band came in to record and her desk phone started to ring. She recognized the number instantly and picked up. "Has Mama Mac called to wish me happy birthday?"

Charlotte laughed and looked down at her nearly four months along belly. "I have indeed."

"Well this is the wrong number." Sawyer couldn't help herself so she hung up. It didn't take but ten seconds for Charlotte to call back. Sawyer picked up and started to smile.

"Why did you do that?" Charlotte leaned back in her chair and knew that her day at the school would be pretty slow until she taught later in the day. Why not fill the time talking to her best friend?

Sawyer didn't know why she'd done it, she just did. "I don't even know." She moved the phone between her shoulder and cheek so she could shuffle through her papers. "What's going on with you?"

"Well first. Happy birthday."

"Thank you much."

"Second I wanted to call and make sure you didn't want to go shopping with us next week."

Sawyer knew that Charlotte really wanted her to go but it would be better for everyone if she declined the invitation. She wasn't a shopper. She didn't really even like babies. She was not going to have fun _shopping_ for Charlotte's _baby_ shower. "I'm sure you're gonna be fine with Liza and your mom. They're the ones who are gonna know everything to register for. I mean think about it, what good would I do?"

Sawyer had a point but Charlotte still wouldn't mind if Sawyer ended up going with them. She was the first person who'd found out Charlotte was pregnant back in November, even if Sawyer tricked her into spilling the beans.

"_Charlotte?" Sawyer walked through the front door and pushed her sunglasses up into her hair. "So I was thinking..." The blonde walked into Charlotte and Graham's bedroom just as soon as Charlotte walked out of the bathroom. She had a date with Reeves and wanted to some outfit advice._

_Charlotte pulled the door with a thud that could have echoed throughout the neighborhood, and brunette smiled at Sawyer with a surprised smile, "Hey." She'd just found out some news that was life changing. If all those positive pregnancy tests had been accurate she and Graham were going to be first time parents._

"_Hey?" Sawyer furrowed her brow because she could tell that Charlotte was...different. "What's going on with the door slamming?"_

"_Oh uh..." Charlotte looked behind her and shook her head, "I uh...it stinks in there." It was a horrible excuse, and gross at that, but it was the only thing she could think of._

"_Ugh, why'd you tell me that?"_

_Crossing her fingers and resting her hands in front of her stomach, Charlotte shrugged, "Sorry."_

_Sawyer didn't have the Ivy League education that Charlotte did but she could tell that something was up. She could read body language and she could see a smile start to creep out of her younger cousin's mouth. Instead of asking flat out, Sawyer figured it would be easiest to skate around the subject and see how Charlotte reacted. "Well aren't you just glowing?"_

"_What? No. No I'm not." Charlotte was in big trouble now. Sawyer could tell. But how? There was no possible way she was showing. "I think I must have gotten sun today."_

"_At work?" Sawyer laughed and raised her brow._

"_I...I gotta go."_

_Charlotte was really bad a lying too. Sawyer laughed and watched as her friend started to walk out of the bedroom. The blonde followed the brunette and she laughed, "Gotta make a pickles and ice-cream run?"_

_Looking over her shoulder, Charlotte started to pick up her pace and started to walk-run out of her house._

_Sawyer knew that she wasn't going to get verbal confirmation right now, especially if Charlotte just found out. As the two girls quickly got through the house, Charlotte grabbed her purse and her keys by the door and all but ran down the steps._

"_You know, I don't think it's good for you to be running and bouncing the baby up and down."_

_Charlotte immediately stopped and furrowed her brow. Was running down the steps really bad for the baby?_

"_Ha!" Sawyer pointed at her still cousin and her jaw dropped with excitement, "You're pregnant! Haha, I knew it!"_

_Narrowing her eyes, Charlotte looked at Sawyer and proceeded to calmly walk to her car. "Maybe."_

"_Maybe? Charlotte Scott...McFarland doesn't like maybe."_

_As she got in her car, Charlotte saw Sawyer walk up to her window and she rolled it down. "I haven't told anyone."_

_Sawyer leaned over and rested her forearms on Charlotte's door, "Secret's safe with me, Mom."_

Charlotte caught Sawyer's drift about not wanting to go shopping and she could respect that. "Alright well what are your plans tonight? Is Reeves taking you out?"

"He is. We were talking about it last week but I'm not sure where we're going."

"That's good. How are things going with him, by the way?"

"Good. Great." Sawyer shrugged and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know. It's easy with him. I mean neither of us are being overly serious about it but we're having a good time."

Charlotte was thrilled that Sawyer was dating someone who made her happy. After the Ben debacle she wasn't sure Sawyer was ever really gonna want to try again. "That's good. Maybe we can all go to dinner or something next week since you don't want to go shopping."

"Yeah, sure. The staff at K-38 probably misses us."

"We can't..."

Sawyer huffed and remembered that Charlotte wasn't particularly fond of tacos at the moment. "Ugh, never mind I forgot pregnancy has made you allergic to our _favorite_ food."

"I know. I'm sorry. And I'm not allergic I just cant eat them, or smell them...or be around them."

"Right...well that sounds like your allergic to me." Sawyer rolled her chair behind her desk and looked through the record collection. She was feeling like listening to a little music while she worked.

Charlotte heard a knock on her door and sighed into her phone. "I gotta go. I'll call you later."

"Alright, bye." Sawyer hung up her phone and had a tough decision to make. Did she whip out _My Aim is True_ and spin the old Costello album or find something else to listen to? She'd heard Elvis all her life and thought she might pull out a random one today, so that's what she did. Her fingers slid against the back of old record leafs and hard CD cases until she stopped on one. Sawyer pulled it out and saw that it was a mix tape of sorts. Singer-songwriters who came from Tennessee. In handwriting that was her own, she saw that the album title was Beale Street Blues. It didn't phase her for a second but when Peyton heard the music she walked out of the studio with a funny look. A hopeful look.

Sawyer was minding her own business working on cataloging some songs and writing edits for certain tracks when she saw her mom walk over and hover. "Um...can I help you?"

The older Scott picked up the CD case and arched her brow. "No. I just wanted to see what this was."

"Oh-kay." Sawyer looked down and went back to doing her work. Assuming that her mom liked her random pick, the twenty-seven year old tapped her foot when the guitar picked up.

Peyton still had the CD in her hand and looked down to her daughter with eyes that were questioning. "So what do you and Reeves have planned tonight?"

Still not sure why her mom was acting kind of strange, Sawyer shrugged. "I don't know. Dinner. Somewhere." She looked up shrugged, "Why?"

Setting down the CD that had its significance in the title, Peyton shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering." A group of six people walked into Red Bedroom and Peyton walked away from Sawyer's desk to greet them. "Hey guys. Come on in. Everything's all set up in the booth."

Two hours and multiple phone calls later, Sawyer was checking the first of the new demos when she saw her brother walk in the office.

"Keith. You didn't have to get those." He was carrying a vase of flowers and walking her way.

He set them down on their mom's desk and laughed. "I didn't. They're for mom."

Sawyer's face fell and she looked around confused as hell. "What?"

He sat down in front of Sawyer's desk and leaned back. "I'm kidding. Yes they're for you."

"Well that was sweet."

Keith nodded and crossed his arms. "I figured it was something that couldn't be _re-gifted_."

Sawyer winced and shook her head. "Look. I had _no_ idea that you'd given me that sandwich maker however long ago. I needed something to get you for Christmas and..." She still felt bad that she'd given him a Christmas present _he'd_ given _her_ a year or so before, but it was only natural for Sawyer to defend herself. "How was I supposed to remember that!"

Keith dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small little box. He looked around the room to make sure their mom wasn't around and held it out for his sister to see. "And look at this."

"Jesus! You're really going all out...and I'm only turning twenty-seven!"

Laughing, Keith shook his head and watched Sawyer open the box. "It's not for you. It's for Bridget."

Sawyer's eyes got wide when she realized she was looking at an engagement ring. An engagement ring her _brother_ was going to use. "Keith. Holy shit."

"Shh...shh..." Keith used his hands to downplay her reaction. "I don't want mom to find out yet."

Sawyer handed him back the box and shook her head. "So what am I? Holder of all of Keith Scott's secrets?"

"Ha, yeah, I guess." Keith tucked the little box back in his pocket and nodded. He'd told Sawyer about the shop first and now about the ring. She really was becoming the holder of all Keith Scott's secrets.

Peyton walked out of the studio with a clipboard in her hand and she smiled when she saw her son sitting at Sawyer's desk. "Keith. Hey."

"Hey, Mom. How's the new band sound?"

"Really good." Peyton turned to Sawyer and nodded, "And I was gonna ask if you wanted to lay down the last three tracks?"

"Yeah, sure. Of course." Sawyer hopped out of her chair so fast that Peyton couldn't help but laugh. The younger blonde made her way to into the booth and sat down at in the mixing chair. She hit the button so the band could hear her talk and she nodded toward them. "Hey guys. I'm gonna take the last three songs so let's get started on the first one. Let's play it once all the way through and then we'll see how we should split it up, alright?" She saw all of the members of Bagley Moses nod and Sawyer turned up the bass, leveled the balance, and added a tiny bit of re-verb. She pressed the record button and circled her hand in the air giving them the signal.

While Sawyer worked her magic inside the booth, Peyton talked with her youngest in the office. She looked over to the flowers and arched her brow. "Nice flowers."

Keith started to laugh and nodded, "I told her I only got those because she couldn't re-gift them."

Looking towards the closed booth, Peyton crossed her arms. "You think she'll be able to handle all of this on her own one day?"

"Sawyer?" Keith sat up in his chair and nodded his head, "She was born to do this. You know the only thing she loves more than us is music...well, and her car."

Peyton laughed out loud and thought the same thing.

"I don't think you have to worry about her with the studio, Mom. Sawyer's gonna be just fine with this." Keith got up from his chair and strategically placed his hand over the box in his pocket. "And what? Are you planning on retiring anytime soon?"

"No. I was just thinking about it."

Keith nodded and tilted his head toward the door. "Well I better get back to the shop. I left dad in there and he's probably still trying to figure out the best wrench for a radiator we're working on." Keith did his best impression of his father's broody look.

Laughing out loud, Peyton covered her mouth. "You look just like him."

Smirking, Keith sad goodbye to his mom and made his way back to the garage. Peyton put the flowers Keith had placed on her desk on Sawyer's and couldn't help but walk up to the booth door and listen in on what was going on.

"Great cut, guys. Let's just get the keys this time." Sawyer pushed the button that cut off her voice and switched a few things for the new recording. "Hey, Scrub, if you wanna do a little improvising during the instrumental part after the bridge go ahead." Sawyer rolled her wrist in the air and they started recording.

Peyton crossed her arms as she listened from the outside and knew that her daughter had learned a thing or two while up in Boston.

An hour or so passed and when the band wrapped their last song they broke for lunch. Sawyer went straight for her mom's desk and sat down.

"How'd it go?" Peyton stacked a few distributors letters by the computer and smiled at Sawyer.

"Great. They're really good."

Peyton nodded and stood up, grabbing her purse ready for lunch. "I was thinking that maybe you could be the main producer on this one?"

Sawyer furrowed her brow and turned her head, "What do you mean?"

"I mean this can be your first full album. Solo." Peyton slung her bag around her shoulder and started slowly walking out of the studio.

"By myself?" Was Sawyer hearing her mom right? She got up and walked to her desk.

"Yeah. You're ready." Peyton nodded with a shrug, "You don't even need me anymore."

Sawyer got her bag knowing they'd go eat for lunch and walked with her mom out of the studio. "That's not true." Sawyer looked at her mom with a kind smile. "I need you."

A little piece of Peyton's heart melted when she heard that. It wasn't often Sawyer said things like that. She bumped Sawyer with her hip and a smile before kicking her head toward the parking lot. "Come on. You pick where we eat. I'm buying."

While Sawyer thought of where to eat she couldn't help but realize how well her day was going. Her birthday was turning out to be an excellent day. No red lights on the way to work, no line at the coffee shop, Keith brought her flowers, her mom was giving her a solo shot at producing their next record; and it was only lunch! Things for Sawyer never went this well. That was probably a sign that she was in for a lousy second half of her day.

**OTHOTH**

The evening was wearing thin but Sawyer was still on top of her game. She and the band had finished recording for the day, Neil came in before he started getting the bar ready with a bottle of wine wrapped in a bow, and Brooke stopped by with a check that had too many zeros.

"We're pretty much done here. You can leave early to get ready for your dinner. I'll lock everything up." Peyton filed a few cover art possibilities away and turned to Sawyer.

Sawyer jumped at the opportunity and shut down her computer as quickly as she could. "Thanks."

Peyton was young once. She knew it was much more fun to be on a diner date than at work. "But we're having dinner at the house on Thursday. Keith said he and Bridget wanted to do dinner then for some reason and I figured we can do the family birthday thing then."

"Yeah. Sounds good." Sawyer grabbed her bag and headed out of the office. She walked by the bar and smiled at Neil. "Thanks for the wine, Neil."

Wiping out a glass, the Tric bartender nodded. "Happy birthday. I remember twenty-seven."

"If it was disastrous I'd rather not hear..." Sawyer laughed and winced hoping he had a good story.

He shook his head and laughed, "Katie and I both got a little drunk. Then nine months later..."

Sawyer's eyes went large. "You weren't drinking this, were you?" Sawyer held out the wine he'd given her and laughed thinking about Neil and his wife.

"No." He shook his head and smiled. "To be honest I don't remember what it was we'd been knocking back."

"Well you should bring Oliver in. What's he now? Four? Tell him I need someone to play on that basketball game with." Sawyer looked over to the arcade game and then back to Neil. His boy was one of those kids who was too cute to be grossed out by, kinda like Bennet, so if he ever needed looking after Sawyer wouldn't only sign up to help, she'd volunteer.

"I'll tell him." He nodded and threw his towel over his shoulder.

Patting the bar, Sawyer said goodbye to Neil and hurried home so she could get ready. She didn't want to take a shower, it wasn't like she'd gotten dirty, but she knew that her hair would be much easier to tame if it was washed. Blasting an 80s mix through her speakers, Sawyer blew dry her hair and then had to pick out a dress. She went with a blue one that hugged her body and accentuated her eyes. Her make-up didn't take but a second to put on and before she knew it Reeves was at her doorstep.

She heard opened the door and was surprised that he was in his Front Street Brewery clothes. "Oh."

Reeves had his fingers together and looked like he had bad news. "Hey."

"Do you have to work?" Sawyer let him in the house and they both stood by the door. She was expecting him to cancel considering his clothes.

"We need to talk."

Sawyer instantly regretted having such a good day because those four words never had a good outcome. "Oh-kay." Sawyer sat down on the couch and watched him fumble with hands.

"We've been having a really good time these last few months, but..." Whatever Reeves was saying seemed to mumble together as soon as he'd said 'but', and Sawyer didn't hear or listen to a single thing after that. She toned him out and could see it in his expression. Everything she thought they might be vanished as soon as Reeves walked out of the door. Sawyer hadn't really even said much. She was still sitting in her living room in a blue dress on her birthday...alone and blindsided.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the bottle of wine Neil gave her and quickly went for it. She pulled out two wine glasses and then her phone.

"Hello?" Charlotte's voice came through the line.

"What are you doing? Can you come over?"

"Yeah. Is this a wardrobe emergency? I can bring something over from my pre-pregnacy closet."

"No...just...get here when you can."

Charlotte could tell that something wasn't right and hung up the phone knowing she may be in for a long night.

Sawyer grabbed the two glasses and bottle of wine and went back into the living room. She slouched down on the couch and saw her two year old golden retriever walk to her. "Trout? You never liked him, did you?" The dog sat down by her feet and Sawyer felt like crying. Not because she had a broken heart, she never loved Reeves, but simply for the fact that she felt like crying. She poured herself a glass of wine and knew Charlotte would be over in just a few minutes time.

It didn't take long for Charlotte to arrive at the home she once shared with Sawyer. She walked into the front door and saw the wine and heard the music. Turning down the music, Charlotte walked over to Sawyer and sat down. The tear stains told the whole story and Charlotte shook her head. "What happened?"

"What kind of asshole breaks up with a girl on her birthday?"

Charlotte wiped away Sawyer's tears and shook her head, "Are you serious?"

Sawyer nodded and bottomed out her glass of wine. "Yes." She poured herself another and then got one for Charlotte. Holding out the one for her best friend, Sawyer closed her eyes and shook her head, "And you can't even drink this." Sawyer laughed at herself and then took a giant gulp of what should have been Charlotte's glass.

"What did he say?"

"You know..." Sawyer shifted her position and shook her head, "I don't even know. I think I stopped listening after..." Sawyer got ready to do her best impersonation of Reeves. "...we've been having a really good time these last few months, but..." She stopped and rolled her eyes, "I mean _really_!"

Charlotte couldn't imagine what Sawyer was feeling. She knew that she didn't love him, but that didn't make it sting less. "Maybe it's for the best?"

"I guess I knew he was my rebound and I knew this would happen but..."

Charlotte nodded, "It sucks."

"It does. It totally does!" Sawyer sniffed away her tears and she'd concluded they were angry tears instead of sad. Sure, she didn't garner an award for best human being on the face of the earth but she certainly didn't deserve such a cold slap in the face on her _birthday_. "And today had been soooo good."

"Yeah?"

Sawyer nodded, "Yeah. Mom's letting me produce the new record on my own."

Charlotte's big brown eyes got wide. "Really? That's great."

"And Keith's proposing to Bridget."

Those doe eyes of Charlotte's got even bigger, "He is!"

"I saw the ring and everything." Sawyer sunk back on the couch and cried. "Ugh, I'm gonna be that unmarried, fifty year old cat lady that all the neighbors stay away from."

Charlotte laughed but put her arms around her cousin. "No you won't. Not everybody finds who they're gonna spend the rest of their life with in their twenties."

"You did."

The younger Scott didn't have much of an argument there because that was true. "You're gonna find him Saw. Maybe not tomorrow or next month, maybe not next year...but he's out there." Charlotte smiled and reassured Sawyer of an obvious truth. "And you're not gonna be a crazy cat lady, Sawyer. You don't even like cats."

Sawyer laughed and used the back of her hand to blot her cheeks. "Ha, well...I'll be the dog lady." She looked down at Trout and rubbed on his head.

"You and Reeves breaking up was actually probably a good thing. The next guy you meet may the be everything you need."

Knowing that she had to keep her head up, Sawyer nodded. "But he can't be in the Coast Guard. He can't play an instrument, and he can't have any tattoos."

Charlotte started to smile, "Alright. I'll keep my eye out." The two best friends sat on the couch for a little while longer and then Charlotte looked toward the television. "I told Graham he was on his own for dinner. You wanna order Chinese and watch a movie?"

"Yes. That would make this night a little more bearable." Sawyer sighed heavily and then looked at Charlotte's growing baby bump. She leaned down and spoke to her niece or nephew. "You lucked out, kid. Your mom's kinda awesome."

Sawyer got up to change out of her dress and while she pulled on something comfortable she couldn't be more thankful for her friends and family. At twenty-seven years old Sawyer had something not everyone was as lucky to have. She could dwell on the last hour or so but it was better if she didn't. There were tons of great things that happened today and those were the important ones to remember. Reeves was just another face in the crowd and probably something and someone she had to go through. It wasn't exactly fun but it might help her get to where she wanted. One of these days Sawyer would find the guy she'd been looking for.

**OTHOTH**

**So...did any of you think Reeves might be sushi guy? I couldn't make it _that_ easy for Sawyer. She couldn't just bounce from Ben to "the one" with such ease. Life's not like that. We got a lot of background on Keith and what he's been up to, and his back story will continue to pop up. Those of you who follow Charlotte's story know what happens with her and I will probably include a certain reaction from Sawyer we didn't get in one of her chapters in the next one. I'm also gonna try to get this story caught up with hers so I can stop playing games with you guys in Charlotte's story, lol. I know you want me to be able to refer to Sawyer's bf by their name/s. So with that said, I may update this after I update LM. That's a _big_ maybe. I hate to put Jamie's readers out of an update but we'll see.**

**My reviewers. You guys are full of awesome. Y'all do realize this is a _spin off_ of a _spin off_, right! Ah, I love the amazing feedback y'all have given. You have no idea.**

**a fan: Sawyer and Ben are not aout of each other's lives yet. There may be more to tell.**

**C: I'm so glad you like the story so far even if you don't like Leyton. They were kinda in this chapter a lot but... As for Sawyer and Ben, I'm a fan as well. I just don't know how their story ends or if it has already.**

**Someone who forgot to sign their name: Thank you so much for the encouragement!**

**Anon: You are one of the only (few, probably) who mentioned the napkin. It will be brought up at a later date in some shape, form, or fashion. And yay, I'm glad you are hooked on this spin-off. That's so great to hear. And LOL I agree with what you wer saying about Mark, ha. **

**Anu: I'm happy you are looking forward to reading more of Sawyer's story.**

**Joan: LOL at your persistence for Sawyer and Ben to reunite. Although, if I'm honest I'm SURE I would be the same if I wasn't writing this. Karen has always been a favorite of mine and I'm glad you liked her inclusion. I wish I added her more often in all of my stories. So did you think Keith was saving up to buy older Keith's old garage? And this 1st bf (Reeves) didn't end up being sushi guy but that doesn't mean the next one won't...or the next...or the next. Ha, sorry I can't give away too much!**

**Please Review!**


	10. Get Yourself Another Fool

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 10: Get Yourself Another Fool**

**Disclaimer: The characters from the show are not mine. Need I say much more?**

**A/N: After I posted Jamie's latest chapter I passed a milestone. One million words. I've written over one _million_ words on this site. Y'all...that's baffling. So with that I threw out a friendly competition on my profile and in Jamie's story asking y'all what I accomplished, and whoever reviewed/PMed me first with the correct guess got to choose the next update. Well, she wanted this one. So here we go. This one includes Sawyer's reaction to Charlotte's tragedy. Some of y'all wanted to see that back when it happened in her story so it's in this one. Other than that... remember to think about the dates as each section begins. It spans over a year (including the flashbacks). Some new characters are gonna pop up and they might just stay awhile. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

She loved it. The sound of dry leaves brushing off the ground when a car zipped by. The steady rustling of autumn's fallen warriors whooshed behind the old Karmann Ghia as Sawyer drove downtown, and she watched them fly behind the car in her mirror. It was mid November but the twenty seven year old had the top down. If it wasn't raining or she wasn't at risk for frost bite, Sawyer almost always had the top down. The mid morning sun was shinning down from above and Sawyer poked her hand out of the window feeling the wind whip across her skin. She loved days like this.

Zipping around the corner of Chestnut, Sawyer turned the CD to track six and cranked up the volume. She drummed her fingers against the steering wheel and couldn't help but smile. Music put Sawyer in a good mood. And it wasn't just any music. This was _her_ music. It wasn't Costello or any of her other favorites, this was the album she'd produced with Bagley Moses.

The music blended with the mid morning sun and Sawyer was almost positive there wasn't any feeling that could beat this. This was her music. Her blood, sweat, and tears were pounding through her speakers right now, and Sawyer was to the point where she could adamantly suggest that hearing her own stuff was better than sex. Her pulse was off the charts, her skin prickled with an excited sweat, and there was a lust in her ears that was never going to go away.

Just as the blonde turned onto Market Street, Sawyer saw an attractive guy running. His shirt clung to his chest and his shorts were tight in all the right places causing her to re-think her assumption. Listening to her music _wasn't_ as good as sex but it was right on up there.

Taking a detour down 2nd to Red Cross, Sawyer felt a little like taking the long route to Tric. She could take the scenic downtown view where she could take in this beautiful November morning. Her mom wasn't expecting her at the office at any particular time, so she had a little bit of leeway to roll down Water Street if she wanted.

Sawyer pulled onto the street that ran parallel with the cape and when she passed the public parking deck she saw that big white boat. A Coastie dressed in blue walked across the street from the deck and Sawyer pulled along the curb with a smile. "Hey, Lieutenant?"

The Coastie turned around when he heard the familiar voice.

She down shifted and smiled at Graham. "I hear congratulations are in order? It's a girl."

With a cute grin that only soon-to-be dads could pull off, Graham looked at Sawyer with a nod. "She told you?"

"Of course she told me." Sawyer waved him off like that was a dumb thought and looked at Charlotte's husband. "She's gonna be doe-eyed and brilliant. Better get ready."

"I am. " He nodded, "We are." Graham still had that adorable smile painted on his face. He wanted a little doe-eyed girl but if she ended up with green eyes like him that would be just fine, too. Sawyer tried to imagine a little pint sized Charlotte running around Tree Hill and she started to laugh. Easing off the break, the car started to roll a little and Graham stuck his hands in his pockets. "Charlotte was wanting to ask you something. She'll probably call you later."

Figuring what it was, Sawyer smiled and waved goodbye to the Coastie in blue as she drove toward work.

Her music was still pumping through the speakers but they were overpowered when she rolled through the gravel of Tric's parking lot. Sawyer walked up those old iron steps ready to take on the day. She and her mom were gonna go over potential new artists for RBR but when she got inside she didn't see her mom or demos scattered on her desk.

"What the hell?" Sawyer stood at her desk and looked down at the foreign object. She picked up the magazine and held it out like it had a communicable disease. Why did she have multiple copes of _Brides_ on her desk.

Sawyer heard footsteps and looked at her mom. "What...is this?"

"Your new reading material." Peyton laughed because she knew Sawyer wasn't going to be happy about it. "We're going to lunch with Bridget and her mom. You might wanna educate yourself on the subject."

Educate herself. After going through everything for Charlotte's wedding she felt educated enough. "Lunch. We're doing lunch?"

"Don't act so disappointed." Peyton laughed at her daughter and then pulled a stack of demos from the shelf.

Sawyer looked at the magazine in her hand and shuttered. Why would anyone want to get all dolled up for a simple 'I do'. As she got older and stayed single, Sawyer wasn't convinced that weddings weren't ceremonies made by Hallmark and caterers to get people fat and drunk.

"Did you like this one?" Peyton held up a CD and glanced at Sawyer.

"Wait? Are we doing demos or am I reading up on the latest bride trends?" The twenty seven year old wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing. She'd much rather be listening to music. Obviously.

"Don't tell me my oldest child can't multitask." Peyton put one of the CDs into the stereo and laughed sarcastically.

"Ha, ha. Aren't you funny?" Sawyer made a face and walked over to her desk. She opened up the magazine with a sour look but had her ears open for careful listening.

Sawyer was having a hard time concentrating though, and she was thrilled when her phone rang. She slapped the magazine closed and answered. "Red Bedroom Records."

"Hey."

Sawyer laughed for answering like that when it was just Charlotte. "Hey."

"So I was hoping I could ask you something."

Sawyer smiled and leaned back in her chair. "No need to ask, Charlotte. I'll be baby Mac's god mother without a doubt."

Charlotte started laughing and shook her head. "Well that was a question for a later date...but..."

"Oh." Sawyer winced, "Well I mean... If you had someone else in mind then that's totally fine. I shouldn't have assumed..."

"Sawyer..." Charlotte laughed and shook her head. "It's you, I was just asking you about something else." She laughed again and then spoke to Sawyer. "I've been asking my teacher friends, and a few of them know some really cute single..."

"No."

"You didn't even let me finish." Charlotte's mouth fell open and she furrowed her brow.

"Well, cause I know what you're gonna say." Sawyer leaned back in her chair and sighed. "I'm glad you're looking out for me, but I don't wanna do the dating thing right now."

Charlotte knew that talking to Sawyer about this was like trying to break through a brick wall. "Well...it's gotta be sometime." The brown eyed former Scott girl shrugged. "I mean think about it. Graham and I got pregnant again. You can..._date_ again." All of the problems Sawyer had had with her last string of boyfriends hadn't exactly been encouraging but Charlotte wanted Sawyer to try.

Sawyer felt her heart break a little when Charlotte talk about getting pregnant again. They should have stayed pregnant the first time. Sawyer still remembered what it had been like when she found out.

_Sawyer had gotten a phone call from her mom and when the news ran through her system she didn't know what to think._

_They'd lost the baby. Charlotte and Graham lost the baby they'd been so excited about, so prepared for. A baby Sawyer was excited for too._

_Feeling bad that she opted not to go shopping yesterday, Sawyer drove over to Charlotte and Graham's like a woman on a mission. She should have been there. Sawyer should have dealt with the harmless shopping so Charlotte wouldn't have had to be alone. Liza was technically there when everything happened, Haley just outside the restaurant, but Sawyer should have been there. At least that's how she felt._

_The old Kharman Ghia stopped in front of the McFarland home and the twenty seven year old clutched her steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She was lost in a daze of 'what ifs and whys' and the warm air of April suddenly felt constricting._

_A neighbor's dog started to bark stirring Sawyer from her trance and she opened up her door. The hinge squeaked pretty badly but instead of overreacting like she normally would have, Sawyer simply ignored it and headed towards the front door._

_It was unlocked so Sawyer pushed open the door and Trout's litter mate, Mack, pranced up to the blonde. She pushed her sunglasses up in her hair and Mack knew what Sawyer was doing there. He led her to the bedroom and lying on Graham's side of the bed was Charlotte. She was sleeping._

_Knowing that her best friend could probably use the rest, Sawyer quietly turned to leave._

"_Hi."_

_Sawyer glanced back to the bed and saw that Charlotte wasn't asleep. Those brown eyes of hers were swollen and red, and Sawyer walked over to the bed. She laid down next to Charlotte and didn't know where to begin. Her emotions were starting to get the best of her and the words she tried to say ended up as quivers on her chin. This wasn't the strong, opinionated, loud-mouthed girl who thought she ruled the roads. This was a vulnerable side that was seldom seen._

_Charlotte grabbed Sawyer's hand and spoke with a tired voice. "I'm glad you're here."_

_Letting out an embarrassed laugh, Sawyer wiped the corner of her eye and shook her head, "This is all backwards. I'm the one who's supposed to be comforting you." Sawyer gathered herself and sat up in the bed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I'm so sorry, Charlotte. Are you okay?"_

_No. Charlotte wasn't okay. She'd experienced one of the most horrific things any expectant mother could go through. She shook her head and took a deep breath. "No. But I'm getting there." She took another deep breath and turned on her side to face Sawyer. "Yesterday was awful, but today is better."_

"_That's good."_

_Charlotte shrugged as she wiped her own tears away. "I snapped at Graham this morning. He actually walked outside I was being so..."_

"_Don't..." Sawyer didn't want Charlotte to think she was being too hard on herself or on Graham. He'd just lost a baby for crying out loud._

"_But I went to talk with Aunt Brooke and my mom."_

_Sawyer figured that that was a good idea but looked around the house noticing someone important was missing. "Where's Graham?"_

"_At the marina." Charlotte smiled thinking about her husband. "You know him. Riding the waves always brings him peace of mind." _

_Neither Charlotte nor Sawyer could really be surprised. He was at home on the ocean when he wasn't with Charlotte, and that open sea provided an endless and vast depth of water where he could drown his pain._

"_Can I do anything? Do you need anything?"_

_Charlotte appreciated the thought but she was fine. She shook her head and looked to her cousin. "Thanks, though."_

_The twosome laid together for a while and then Sawyer knew that Charlotte probably wanted some more alone time. She couldn't imagine what her best friend was going through and it killed her that it had happened. Charlotte was born to be a mom. She wanted nothing more than a family and that joy and excitement had been taken, stolen from her. Life just wasn't fair._

_When Sawyer did leave she started for home but then took a detour. It wasn't a planed route but she drove towards the water in case he was there._

_The boats that lined the docks were quietly swaying in the breeze and Sawyer wasn't sure if Graham's boat was still gonna be at the marina but she would at least give it a try. His best friend was away in Texas and Sawyer didn't know who he had to talk to. His family was up on the Outer Banks. Sawyer and Graham weren't always on the same page and he'd really been upset with her after the Ben debacle, but this was bigger than their differences._

_Sawyer saw the small sailboat tied up and the cabin door was halfway closed. She stepped down on the boat and knocked on the door. "Graham?"_

_The twenty-nine year old Coastie rubbed his eyes and got up to walk out of the small cabin. He knew it was Sawyer and took a deep breath before he walked outside. "Hey, Sawyer."_

_Looking at the most heartbreaking face she'd ever seen, Sawyer felt like crying but held it together. "Hey."_

_They both sat down on the side of the boat and Sawyer cleared her throat. "I know Ben's not __here...but..." Sawyer took a deep breath and looked to a guy she'd grown close with over the last three years. "I'm here." She saw him start to get upset and she had to look out over the water to avoid her own tears. "If you need to talk. If you just need somebody."_

"_Thanks." Graham wasn't one to cry in front of a whole lot of people but this wasn't anything he could try to stifle or hide._

_Sawyer took a deep breath and patted Graham on the back, and pulled him into a side hug. "It's gonna be okay."_

_It wasn't anything she could be sure of. Sawyer didn't know anything for a fact but she did know that. Things were gonna be okay. Maybe not today. Maybe not next week, but they would get better. And at some point Charlotte and Graham _would_ start that family they'd wanted._

"So you really won't go out with any of them?"

Charlotte's question brought Sawyer back to reality and the blonde shook her head. "Ask me again in a few months and then I promise I'll do it."

"Promise?"

Sawyer laughed but nodded, "Promise."

The two friends said goodbye and for the next few hours Sawyer and her mother went through work as they normally did. Sawyer had been able to discard the wedding magazines and when her dad called she managed to even get out of going to lunch.

Sawyer slung her bag over her shoulder and shrugged, "Dad really wanted to talk to me so...I mean, I can't not go see him." She was gonna milk whatever her dad wanted to see her for, for all its worth.

"Fine. Fine." Peyton threw up her hands because it was probably for the best. Sawyer at a lunch dedicated to any and all things wedding oriented wasn't exactly a good mixture.

"I'll see you back here later then." The younger Scott disappeared out of Tric and walked to her car with a happy stride.

She made her way to her parents' house and walked in wondering what her dad wanted to talk about. Sawyer went straight for the study but didn't see him in there. His computer wasn't open but there was an old school composition notebook on his desk. Figuring he was hand writing his next masterpiece, Sawyer sat down and opened up the first page.

_Elbert Hubbard once wrote, "The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods."_

_Mistakes can shape peoples' entire lives. They can bend rules and break hearts, but when something so powerful as the lies well tell ourselves in the name of something true becomes the very..."_

"Hey...what are you doing?"

Sawyer shut the notebook because her father's tone told her she wasn't supposed to be reading. "Nothing."

Lucas walked toward her and held out his hand for his notebook. He hoped she hadn't gotten far and that the napkin tucked between the pages toward the back had stayed hidden beneath the lines.

"So what's this one about? It doesn't sound like you and mom."

Lucas laughed and scratched his head with a squint. "It's not. It's...for someone else."

Sawyer hadn't been able to figure out who from those few lines and furrowed her brow. "Anyone I know?"

"You could say that." Lucas smiled and sat down at his desk.

"When do I get to edit?" Sawyer walked around the study and her eyes roamed over covers of books she knew well.

"I don't know. I may let Haley take this one."

"What?" Sawyer turned around so fast she even startled herself.

Shrugging, Lucas tried to let Sawyer down easy. "It's different than what I've done before so..."

"My editing skills aren't up to par?" Sawyer crossed her arms and sighed. "Fine. I get it. I'll get to read it at some point, anyway. Do you have a title?"

"No. Not yet." That wasn't technically true. He had title. Five words, a bit of a metaphor, but it worked for the story and it worked for his characters.

Sawyer wished she'd at least gotten a title, that way she could probably figure out who he was writing about but shrugged, "Well what did you want to talk to me about?"

"It's about the new book, actually." He didn't want her to think she was the topic so he shrugged. "I need a young perspective."

"Oh, so like I'm your focus group?"

Lucas squinted and nodded, "..sure."

"Alright. Ask away." Sawyer sat down to help out her dad but what she didn't know was that he was asking her questions about the book because this book wasn't any regular story. This was her story.

One of these days when Lucas got it done maybe she'd read it and find out that things weren't always as they seemed.

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer was studying the stacks of paper she'd laid out on the pool table and tried to figure out which one she wanted to go through first. Paperwork and the book keeping aspects of the record business were the less glamorous portion but someone had to do it, and since she knew that her mom didn't want to mess with it, it was Sawyer's task.

Separated into piles of booking, merchandise, studio schedules, promotion, and miscellaneous, the twenty seven year old sighed at the mountains of white."Who wants to be first?"

She rested her hands on her hips as she looked to the papers for an answer and waited for a response prolonging the inevitable. Sawyer decided on booking and grabbed the stack with a huff. She was in for a long night. But to make things a little less lonely, the blonde grabbed her iPod and hooked it up to the speakers so The Beatles could entertain her.

The pitter-patter of February's sleet hit Tric's windows and mixed well with the music. Sawyer got into a rhythm of filing, signing, and organizing with a steady tapping of her foot. "Get Back" echoed through the studio as she went through the list of venues where their artists could play. Most of their bands played regionally but a couple of them had a following that was starting to spread north and west. As much as Sawyer despised the Hotel Cafe after her horrible experience a few years ago she couldn't deny the fact that the cozy little L.A. venue would work wonders for Johnny Bedlam's career.

She had seven bands she had to go through and by the time she'd made the third tour schedule Sawyer had been through at least twenty Beatles songs. Her stomach was starting to growl but she could hold out a little bit longer; get through the fourth tour and then grab a quick bite.

Softly humming the words to "Let it Be", Sawyer stretched when she finished New Nostalgia's spring tour. Her work had precariously moved her to the floor so she could stack, place, and spread out things with ease. She got up feeling her knee pop. "Ugh...I'm too old for this." She flopped down on her desk chair and checked a few emails while she took a short break. Sawyer clicked on one from Charlotte and when she started to read the text she checked the date on her computer and then the one her watch. "Shit!"

Sawyer got up and hurried to clean up her piles of paper so she could leave. "Oh my god, I can't believe I forgot!" She grabbed her purse and ran out of the studio as quickly as she could. She made it about halfway down the slick iron steps but she had to run back up to lock the studio. "Dammit!"

Once she finally got to her car she peeled out of the gravel parking lot with a laugh and a shake of her head. Of course this would happen. What normal person shows up to a blind date on time?

The date she was running late too was one Charlotte had set up. Some teacher she had worked with apparently had a cute single brother and Sawyer finally agreed to go out with him. The older Scott girl wasn't so sure about blind dates. She wasn't even fond of dating anymore. It only led to heartbreak and trouble. Sawyer wanted to steer clear of drama for a while, even if it meant being independently alone. She didn't really need a guy to make her happy. She had her music and obviously that was taking up more of her time that she realized.

There had been a few causal dates here and there. Nothing significant and no one worth remembering. This date would probably fall into the same category but Sawyer was doing this more as a favor for her level headed cousin. Charlotte was seven months pregnant. You don't cross a pregnant girl. As she glanced at her dashboard clock she wasn't so sure the date was ever going to get off the ground, though. She was nearly thirty minutes late.

The Basics was pretty crowded for a Thursday night and Sawyer wasn't sure who she was even supposed to be looking for. She couldn't even remember the guy's name.

"How many?" A young hostess smiled a Sawyer.

Laughing, Sawyer furrowed her brow, "Um...I'm meeting someone."

"Oh, okay." The hostess looked around the restaurant at the busy crowd. "What do they look like. Maybe I can help you?"

Sawyer shook her head. "I don't know. It's a blind date. I think I'll know when I see him." Sawyer headed for the pathway along a few tables and smiled at the hostess. If nothing, Sawyer could slowly make her way to the bar as she scoped out the room for her date.

There were plenty of people eating and chatting but Sawyer didn't see a guy with an empty chair across from him, and she wasn't surprised. If she'd been waiting she would have left too.

There were three seats open at the bar and Sawyer sat down with a discouraged feeling. There was a near empty drink in front of her and since no one seemed to own up to it, Sawyer checked behind her shoulder and tossed back the last sip. Scotch and water, it was such a guy's drink. She let the alcohol flow down her throat with a slight burn and then she took a deep breath. This night sucked and that drink was too watered down.

Somebody's shoulder brushed up against hers when they took a seat, and he reached for the empty glass Sawyer had finished off.

Realizing that the drink she'd taken was someone's who _hadn't_ left, Sawyer turned to her bar stool neighbor with an apologetic face. "I am so sorry. Let me buy you another." She flagged down the bartender and ordered two drinks feeling like an absolute moron.

The guy stayed quiet and wondered what kind of girl just drank some else's drink without rhyme or reason.

Sawyer could feel her embarrassment rush through her veins and she looked at the guy with dark hair and glasses. "I...I thought this..." She looked at the empty glass and then back to the quiet guy to her left. "...you...were gone."

The Basics' bartender gave them their drinks and the guy, still silent, took his with a cute grin.

Sawyer had never been around someone so quiet and she didn't particularly like it. "Well...say something." Mr. glasses, dark hair, cute grin, and dark eyes was about to say something but it wasn't fast enough for Ms. Tell you how it is, Sawyer. "Look, I didn't mean to take your drink. I thought someone had left it for the bartender to take. I stood up my date on accident and tonight has already started off on the wrong foot, so could you maybe acknowledge that I'm alive...and bought you a drink?" Sawyer glanced at the guy and took note of his features. She kinda liked his glasses and never thought she liked the geek look but he was pulling it off well.

The guy turned his stool toward her and smiled. "You must be Sawyer?" Her brow instantly furrowed and the twenty seven year old didn't know why he knew her name. He swirled his drink in his cup and shot her a grin. "I'm Nick. Nick Beasley."

As soon as he said his name Sawyer quickly realized that she hadn't missed her date after all. "The same Nick Beasley who was supposed to meet a girl for a date here?" She knew he'd say yes but couldn't help but ask.

"That'd be me."

Sawyer took a big gulp of her drink and smiled at the handsome man. "Well...I think I have humiliated myself enough. So...I'll uh...be seeing ya. Enjoy the drink." Sawyer started to get up and headed out of the restaurant kicking herself that she'd made an absolute ass of herself.

Nick watched her walk away and something about the girl he'd just met had his feet following her. "Hey?" Sawyer turned around and those blue eyes of hers met his dark brown ones and he could have sworn that he felt a bolt of lightening run through him. "Where are you going?" He gave her a smile and looked back to the bar. "We just started."

Sawyer wasn't sure what to make of this Nick fellow. He was charming and cute, and those glasses were incredibly sexy, or maybe that was his smile that was making her think that? Either way, no matter what it was about this guy, Sawyer couldn't deny the fact that he had her interested. She crossed her arms with a squinty eyed smirk. "You really wanna do this?"

He nodded, "I don't see why not?" He looked at the smattering of dinner goers and knew they'd have to wait forever to get a table. "Where do you wanna go?" Nick walked next to Sawyer as they took to the street. The February sleet had stopped and a cool layer of winter's breath lingered in the air.

Where did she want to eat? Anywhere with food. "I don't care. Wherever."

Surprised that she was so easy to deal with, Nick laughed.

"What?" Sawyer looked up to him as they made their way down Front Street.

He looked at her and shook his head.

"No what is it?" Sawyer halfway laughed and was halfway annoyed. "I'm not living up to my _sweet_ reputation?" She knew that Charlotte had most likely told Hannah about her antics who then probably told her brother. "I'm sure you heard _fond_ stories."

He nodded with a oddly cute laugh, "Mostly." Nick started to smile because Hannah had been wrong. Sawyer wasn't as hard to get along with as he thought she might be. Sure, she was opinionated and brash, a little snarky, but she was honest. He could tell that much. Honesty wasn't exactly something people nowadays seemed to value, but something about Sawyer told him she was a woman of truth. That was appealing in and of itself.

"Well...I know nothing about you, Nick Beasley." Sawyer laughed and watched as a car full of teenagers drove by.

"Me?" Nick shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Not much to tell. I'm an accountant."

"An accountant? Ugh, you must love math?"

Nick got that kind of reaction often. "Yeah, but I'm not a guy in a cubical. I work for Wells Fargo as a...personal accountant for the large corporations that use us."

That sounded fancy and he probably raked in the money. Sawyer looked at his clothes and tried to decide how much money he made but she couldn't tell. He was wearing general date apparel. "Sounds fun." It didn't. She wouldn't dare work with that many numbers or be responsible for anyone's money. She had a hard enough time keeping _her own_ finances in order.

"Actually...it is." Nick looked at her and nodded. "I get to travel a lot."

"Really?" That surprised the twenty-something.

"Yeah. The big companies fly me to their branch offices to overlook their financial divisions. Last week I went to Las Vegas."

"You win anything?" Sawyer looked to Nick with raised brow and a smirk.

He shook his head and laughed, "If you count a free lunch from the buffet." He laughed again. "I'm not much of a gambler."

Sawyer laughed and was starting to feel like this first date was turning out pretty well. "It's all about the poker face. You get one of those and you'll be an expert."

Noticing Sawyer's squint, Nick pointed at her with his thumb, "Is that yours."

Smiling, Sawyer shook her head, "No. Unfortunately that's just the way I look...a lot of the time."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean anything by that." He suddenly felt like he'd offended her.

"Don't worry about it. I just tell people I'm always thinking about something highly intellectual."

Nick laughed and they walked down the street in a comfortable silence until he turned to her again. "So what about you? I take it your not an accountant?"

"Nope." Sawyer shook her head and looked down the street towards Tric. It wasn't anywhere close but she was looking in its general direction. "I work for Red Bedroom Records. It's a independent record label. You know where Tric is?" Nick nodded and she continued, "There's a studio kinda tucked back in there."

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah. If you're ever in there stop by. I'll probably be buried in demo CDs but I'm always there."

Nick smelled the the pizza shop they were walking by and while he wanted something to eat he wanted to know about Sawyer more. "So I take it your a big music person?"

"Uh...yeah. That's probably an understatement." Sawyer knew that her work was her life, and now more than ever she seemed to be in the studio more than in her own house.

"So what's your favorite band?" He watched her struggle to find an answer so he made the stakes a little higher. "Deserted island, one CD, who's it gonna be?"

"Costello." Sawyer knew that from the beginning but wanted to give her answer a little thought. "Elvis Costello."

Nick smiled and nodded. "My Aim is True. That's a great album."

"You like his stuff?" Surprised that Nick knew his Elvis Costello music, Sawyer turned to him with a funny little smile.

"Yeah, sure. But sometimes I can't decide if I like the Attractions or Imposters better."

"Attractions." Sawyer nodded and confirmed her idea. "Gotta go old school. Elvis Costello and the _Attractions_." This Nick guy had her on her toes and the surprises just kept on coming. Not only did she really love the fact that he had glasses but Nick was a Costello fan. What more could she ask for?

Nick stopped walking when they got to the next place to eat and he tilted his head to the side. "You hungry?"

Sawyer nodded and they walked into the restaurant. Their food wasn't as good as their conversation and over their hour long dinner, Sawyer learned a few things about Nick Beasley. He was from North Carolina, Emerald Isle to be more specific, so that sun kissed, year long tan of his was as Carolina as they come. He'd gone to Virginia and then got his masters from Duke. His whole family taught but he'd strayed from the pack. He wasn't so sure about dealing with a bunch of kids which was right up Sawyer's alley. He wasn't really much of an athlete, rooted for the Bobcats because his friends did, but he'd rather read than watch sports. Her father came up in conversation because he knew about him. He hadn't read his books but Nick knew about the small town basketball coach who'd published books that were pretty popular. The darked haired glasses wearer had been in Tree Hill almost a year and a half and was twenty-seven, just like Sawyer.

Nick paid for dinner and offered to hail a cab so they wouldn't have to trek back to The Basics but Sawyer didn't mind walking. He was pretty good company.

They made small talk while they headed back towards their cars and Sawyer's eyes shot open when she saw a little white piece of paper tucked underneath her wiper blade. "Are you kidding!" Sawyer marched right over to her car and snatched the ticket up.

He looked at her car and wasn't surprised that she drove something from decades passed. She seemed like she liked old things, vintage things, and it was kind of refreshing. Most girls had to have the new bag, the new shoes, the latest-greatest of everything but Sawyer wasn't like that. He could already tell that she wasn't like most girls.

Sawyer read her citation and rolled her eyes at the fine. "I don't understand why they're so picky about the direction you park. I mean, does it really matter?" Sawyer folded the ticket with harsh creases and shook her head. "Ugh, Vince probably did this on purpose."

"I take it you and the parking guy go way back?" The fact that she was on a first name basis with the parking attendant was kind of hilarious.

"Yeah, sorta. I swear...everyone in this town is out to get me and my car."

He laughed with her and then took a deep breath. Nick wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to do next. Did he ask her to go back inside The Basics for more drinks? Did he ask for her number? Did he ask her out for another date right then and there? About then thousand things were running through his head.

Leaning on her old beloved piece of metal, Sawyer looked at Nick and could tell he was trying to figure out his next play. "So..."

"Well I uh...I've had a good time." It came out kind of jumbled but cute. He was flustered. "We should go out again."

Sawyer started to smile and nodded. She looked to him through the darkness and saw the headlights of passing cars reflect off his glasses. Her heart rate elevated and she nodded. "We should."

"How about next week?"

Sawyer was starting to feel her cheeks heat up. She couldn't be blushing, was she? Yep. "Sure. Okay."

Nick started to grin and nodded. "Alright. Yeah. Next week then." He started to walk away and then turned back to her. "I need your number."

Sawyer could have jotted it down but since she made up her own rules she smiled at him. "I'm in the phone book." She may have winked at him, but she wasn't quite sure. Her head was spinning about a million miles an hour. This guy was really cute.

He watched her get into her car and Sawyer watched him walk to his as she cranked the old Volkswagen to life. Maybe she was playing a little hard to get? Maybe not, but Nick was gonna at least put in a little effort into getting her number by looking it up.

The two twenty-somethings drove away in opposite directions and Sawyer watched him drive away in her rear view mirror. He was cute. Nick Beasley was _real_ cute.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, Sawyer texted Charlotte not knowing if her pregnant friend would be awake. It was close to eleven thirty and that was kinda late for a soon-to-be mom. Sawyer hadn't expected to stay out so late but they'd walked around for a while and then when they did actually sit down to eat she and Nick had taken their time with that.

Sawyer pulled into her driveway after a seven minute drive from downtown and was greeted by Trout. He immediately smelled someone new on Sawyer and he wasn't sure what to think of it. The hair on his back ruffled and Sawyer leaned down to rub on him. "Trout, what's wrong? It's just me." The blonde heard her phone start to ring and Sawyer answered without looking to see who it was. She knew it was Sawyer. "Oh my God, Charlotte. He's...so..."

"So it went well!" Charlotte was laid up in bed with a pint of Ben and Jerry's. "I knew you'd like him."

"Like him? Charlotte. He's an _Elvis_ _Costello _fan."

Charlotte laughed and stuffed a huge amount of chocolate into her mouth. "I know. I told you this guy was your type." She hadn't asked Hannah all about her single brother without reason. She looked over to Graham who'd fallen asleep and softened her voice. "Tell me all about it."

Sawyer walked into her bedroom to change for bed and put her phone on her dresser and yelled across the room as she got in her pajamas. "Well...it started off horrible. _Monumentally_ bad."

"What?"

"Yeah. I was late. _Really_ late."

"Sawyer. I even sent you that reminder." Charlotte laughed and shook her head.

"I know. I know. But anyways, I get there late, go straight to the bar cause there's not a guy waiting for anyone, sit down, see a what I think is an abandoned drink, finish it, and then boom, Nick sits down and everything got better from there." She'd hardly stopped to take a breath when she'd replayed it all for Charlotte.

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh because her cousin was anything but conventional. "Well are you gonna go out again?"

"Mmm-huh. Next week."

"Ah! That's great!" Charlotte's eagerness and excitement woke up her husband.

"Is it time?" Graham sat straight up in bed and looked through his tired eyes to Charlotte. Were they about to have their baby?

"Oh, sorry. No everything's fine." She rested her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it sweetly, "Go back to sleep." Charlotte winced and slowly got out of bed to finish her conversation with Sawyer in the bathroom. "Okay, so you're gonna go on a second date! That's huge."

"Gee, Mom. Thanks for the words of encouragement." Sawyer laughed and shook her head as she pulled her shirt over her head. "It's just a second date. Nothing that huge. I mean..." Sawyer slipped on some comfortable sleeping pants and tied the drawstring. "I know you have this crazy dream of you and me old, married, and raising our kids together but don't get ahead of yourself. It's the second date."

"Sawyer..." Charlotte shrugged off Sawyer's thoughts and wanted to remind her of a few things. "He's not in the Coast Guard, he doesn't play an instrument..."

The twenty-seven year old blonde laughed and laid down on her bed. "Okay well...that doesn't mean anything."

"What kind of car does he drive? That always says something in your book."

Sawyer thought back to Nick's car and told Charlotte the color and manufacturer. "It's a black Acura."

"And what does that mean?"

Shrugging, Sawyer didn't really know. She'd known instantly about every other person in her life's by their cars. She knew that Reeves was trouble to begin with considering he had a supped up Honda with running lights and no muffler. Dillon had a car he couldn't afford and Ben had 4-Runner that was pretty temperamental. Just like their on-again off-again deal, that car had its problems from time to time. This Acura, though. Sawyer wasn't really sure what to make of it, and that made her nervous. "I don't know." She bit her lip thinking of their date next week and smiled into the phone. "I'll have to let you know."

The two girls said their goodbyes and Sawyer turned out the lights reflecting on her night. Nick Beasley. He was a catch. There weren't many guys she got along with so well right off the bat and the beating in her chest told her this was going to be more than a fling. She'd just have to wait and find out if her gut was right.

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer looked at her kitchen counter with a sense of 'what did I get myself into' and swallowed hard. She thought it would be fun to have Nick over, and cook for him but with about an hour until he showed up she remembered that she wasn't a cook. At all. The May sunset was shining sherbert colors through the window and Sawyer was starting to regret her genius idea. How long did it take for restaurants to deliver? Maybe she could just dump to-go boxes on plates and Nick would never know?

No. He would. That was a bad idea.

Reaching for her phone, Sawyer dialed her soon to be sister-in-law with a ginormous favor. Charlotte was normally her go-to girl for help but she was busy with a newborn and Keith's fiance was kinda good in the kitchen. Sawyer waited for Bridget to pick up and then immediately got to her point. "Help! I'm in the kitchen with pots and pans I didn't know I had."

Bridget laughed as she tried to imagine Sawyer doing anything serious in the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

Looking at her cluttered kitchen counter, Sawyer shook her head, "I don't even know." She laughed and then got serious. "What are you doing right now? Any chance you can come help me?"

Since the wedding was a little over two weeks away and nearly everything was done, Bridget had a little bit of free time on her hands. "Yeah. I'll be over in a few minutes."

"Thank you!" Sawyer hung up and sighed heavily. This had been a very bad idea.

There were two boxes of noodles, a package of chicken, some green vegetables; all sorts of things lying around and Sawyer didn't know where to begin. Those cooking shows made everything look so easy. This was not easy.

"Sawyer...?" Bridget walked through the front door and rubbed on Trout while she made it to the kitchen. She pushed her sunglasses up in her hair and stopped in her tracks when she saw the mess in Sawyer's kitchen.

The older Scott turned to the soon-to-be Scott and bugged her eyes. "What do I do?"

"Well what are you trying to make?" Bridget put her bag on the table and glanced at all of the ingredients Sawyer had to work with.

"I was thinking pasta with a nice herb encrusted baked chicken?" That even sounded like it was too much for Sawyer to take on as soon as it came out of her mouth.

Bridget took a few steps toward the sink and looked to Sawyer with a smile. "How long do we have?"

"Like...forty minutes."

Bridget could have been a culinary master but working on a whim and with such short notice wasn't exactly ideal. "Alright. Let's get started and I'll walk you through everything you need to know."

Sawyer sighed heavily and started to fill her large pot with water. "I knew there was a reason Keith was marrying you."

Bridget laughed and washed her hands, "So is the guy you won't let any of us meet who your cooking for?"

"Maybe." Yes. It was. Sawyer just didn't want to have to explain that she was keeping Nick away from the drama of the Scott family because things had been going so well. Three months and Sawyer was really starting to fall for him. He was sweet and kind. He liked the same music she did and they could talk about almost anything for hours at a time.

Tossing breadcrumbs with whatever herbs Sawyer had in a bowl, the twenty five year old looked to her future sister-in-law, "Keith's gonna ask me questions. What do I tell him?"

Sawyer laughed as she tried to accurately measure the amount of pasta. "Tell him that he should mind his own business." She shrugged and then continued, "I mean I wasn't playing detective when he started going out with you."

Laughing out loud, Bridget started to dice a small clove of garlic.

The two twenty-somethings worked on Sawyer's dinner and things were going pretty well until Nick pulled up to the house early.

Sawyer looked out the window and her eyes bugged, "Oh crap!"

Bridget quickly pulled out a piece of loose paper and jotted down everything Sawyer was going to need to know to finish dinner. The temperature to bake the chicken, the herbs and spices she'd need to add later, how long the pasta should take...it was Sawyer's cheat sheet. "Here." Bridget grabbed her purse and then handed Sawyer her source of all things important. "I'll slip out the back."

Liking Bridget's covert ways, Sawyer thanked her for all of her help and then walked to the front door to greet Nick. Trout had been lying in the kitchen watching the girls cook and he followed Sawyer to the door. She didn't have the thing opened one inch before he started barking.

"Trout. No, boy." Sawyer opened up the door and shook her head at her dog but smiled at her boyfriend. "Hey."

"Hey." Nick smiled at Sawyer and his glasses got her every time.

"Come on in." She opened up the door a little more but that made Trout even more protective. He sounded off on Nick and Sawyer tried to maneuver her body so the guy could walk in the door without having to worry about Trout.

Laughing, Nick looked at Trout and shook his head. "I guess he doesn't want company?" He gently held his hand out to the dog and nodded. "Trout? Hey boy. I'm not gonna hurt anyone."

Trout wasn't buying it and snapped at Nick. He didn't bite him and he didn't hurt him, but it shocked Sawyer. "Trout! NO!" She looked to Nick and shook her head apologetically. "Sorry hold on." Sawyer slipped her hand under Trout's collar and walked him to her bedroom.

Nick looked around the small house and got a better sense of who Sawyer Scott was. They'd been seeing each other for a little while now but it was his first time he'd been here. They were both always so busy that they'd kept their dates to dinner downtown and occasional fun outings on the weekend. He walked by a table with a few pictures and could easily point out her parents and younger brother. He'd only met Charlotte and Graham so any pictures of them he recognized but there were a couple people who he'd never seen or heard about. He'd have to ask. He wanted to know more.

While Nick was looking over her pictures, Sawyer walked into the bedroom with her normally behaved pet. She watched him lay down by her bed and she rested her hands on her hips. "What's the matter with you, Trout?" Sawyer laughed and shook her head, "At least give him a chance." Trout looked up to Sawyer as if he was saying that he was just trying to help but she sighed. She patted him on the head and then walked back towards Nick. "Sorry about that. He's normally not so territorial."

He turned to her and shook his head. "No it's okay. I'm a stranger..."

"You're not a stranger..." Sawyer walked over to him and this time she was the one shaking her head. She stared at him while they stood close and then he leaned down to kiss her. Sawyer felt the warmth of his lips on hers and when they parted she started to smile. "He'll come around."

Nick nodded and then thought about that dog of hers. "So how'd you pick Trout as a name, anyway?"

Sawyer sat down on the couch and shook her head. "My uh...my ex-named him."

Nick's eyebrows raised and he nodded, "Oh."

"Yeah. It's all part of a long story. Ben comes around during Christmas and whenever he's in town he'll come see Trout so..." Sawyer felt like she may be divulging a little bit too much information and stopped with a shrug of her shoulders. This was the kind of drama she didn't want to deal with. "It's kinda complicated."

Nick sat back on the couch thinking about this Ben fellow. Obviously Sawyer had a pretty significant relationship with him. He could see it in her eyes when she'd said his name but it didn't worry him. Apparently Ben didn't even live here anymore.

Sawyer could feel the conversation leaning on the awkward side at the mention of her ex and remembered that she hadn't offered him anything to drink. "Do you want a beer or something?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever's fine."

Walking into the kitchen, Sawyer figured everything on the stove and in the oven was fine, and she grabbed two beers. She made her way back to the living room and handed Nick his drink, "So did you find out if you have to fly to Hartford next week?"

He nodded as Sawyer sat down next to him. "I don't have to go."

Since he'd be in town, Sawyer smiled and raised her brow, "Well...how do you feel about weddings?"

Knowing that she was talking about her brother's ceremony, Nick nodded and leaned close to her so his lips buzzed against hers. "I like weddings."

"Mmm...then that's good." Sawyer kissed him and could smell his cologne on his neck.

Nick was transfixed her. The way she was and how she carried herself. There weren't many girls like her and he looked into her blue eyes thinking he'd never seen that particular shade before. He almost went in for another kiss but something caught his attention. "Is..." He looked around to the kitchen and furrowed his brow. "Is something burning?"

"Oh shit! The chicken!" Sawyer hopped off the couch and ran into the kitchen. She opened up the oven and was met with smelly dark cloud of smoke. "Oh my God." She pulled out the pan of _blackened_ chicken and put it in the sink. It wasn't supposed to look or smell like that.

"Is everything okay?" Nick walked in behind Sawyer and saw the cloud of smoke that filled the kitchen.

"Well...our dinner is kaput." Sawyer laughed and took off her oven mitts hearing the fire alarm go off. "Oh, great."

Nick waved his hands through the smokey room and pointed at the window and back door. "Open up those. I'll get this." He looked to the obnoxious detector and pulled up one of the chairs to shut it off. He stood tall on the chair and tried to shut off the ceiling's detector.

Sawyer quickly opened up the windows and the back door hoping the smoke would clear out of the kitchen and watched Nick try and mess with the smoke alarm. "I've got a bat. We can just smash it so it stops." Sawyer laughed but threw out the possibility.

He turned to her as he pulled the cover off and shook his head laughing. "No. I think I can get it off without destroying it." He unhooked one of the wires and the beeping stopped.

Crossing her arms and looking up to him with a smile, Sawyer shook her head. "Is there anything you can't do?"

He jumped down off the chair with a smirk. "Drive a stick shift."

Sawyer laughed and knew that he'd been right. She tried to help him out with that back in March but it hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped.

_The annual spring baseball game was in it's final inning and Sawyer was in the batter's box. She was practicing her swing and felt pretty confident that she could get a hit. Baseball wasn't exactly her best sport but over the years she'd learned to really enjoy it. She hadn't played in the charity game last year but it was nice to be back on the field with her Coastie friends. Spring was in full bloom and the azaleas colored the bushes that lined the park. _

_Graham had asked her to join in the fun since Charlotte was out of commission. His wife was less than three weeks away from having their first baby and he wasn't so sure that running around the bases with a belly like hers was good for the team, good for her, or good for the baby. So when Graham looked to Sawyer to have as another player the competitive blonde couldn't say no._

"_Batter up." The Admiral lifted his umpire mask and waved Sawyer over._

"_Go easy on me, Drew. I know where you live." Sawyer tapped home plate with her bat and smiled at the pitcher._

"_Go, Sawyer!" _

_A voice came from the stands and Sawyer looked to the crowd and met Nick's gaze. He'd come to watch her play and his cheers made her laugh. She wasn't sure if she thought it was cute or nerdy. Maybe it was both- a little bit adorkable. _

"_Yeah, go Sawyer!" Charlotte clapped her hands and imitated the guy she was sitting next to._

_Sawyer appreciated her cheerleaders but she had a ball she needed to concentrate on. Drew threw a ball a little on the inside and Sawyer held her chest. "Don't make me smaller than I already am." _

_The pitcher laughed and followed up with a strike right down the middle. "What was wrong with that, Sawyer?"_

"_Nothing. Just taking my time." Sawyer wiggled the bat in front of her and foul tipped the next one. That was a good pitch but she'd been a little too eager. She was ready for the next one, though. Drew had a little giddy-up on his next strike and Sawyer fell behind the count, 1-2. "Alright, alright." She choked up on her bat and knew that her next pitch was do or die._

"_You got this, Sawyer." Graham was waiting in the dugout cheering on his friend._

_Drew wound up and pitched a beauty. Sawyer heard the crack the ball made against the bat and she took of running not sure where her ball had really even gone._

_The Coastie playing third dove toward the foul line and scooped up Sawyer's line drive before it ever hit the ground._

"_Out!" The Admiral held up his hand and let everyone know the call._

"_Really!" Sawyer had just run through first base and shook her head. She gave the third base player the stink eye and walked back into the dugout. She handed her helmet to Graham and walked to get her glove, ready to take the field during the bottom half of the inning._

_There was a chain linked fence that separated the dugout from the stands and Sawyer saw Nick walking over to her._

"_Disappointing, I know." Sawyer laughed at herself as she took a sip of water when Nick got close._

"_No. It was a good hit." He shook his head and wiped off his cheek. "Your uh...your eye black is running."_

"_Oh..." Sawyer swiped her hand across her cheeks and looked at the black smudge on her fingers. "...nice."_

_He smiled at her and leaned his arm on the fence so it made a noise. "So what do you normally do after one of these things?" Nick looked to the girl he'd met just a month ago and thought he might take her to lunch if she didn't have other plans._

"_Well I would normally go out with Charlotte and Graham, grab lunch and a drink but Charlotte's feet probably hurt, so I think it might be just me and you."_

_Nick glanced over to a very pregnant Charlotte and laughed while nodding. "Alright."_

"_Sawyer, come on. We're back on the field." Graham grabbed his glove and tilted his head toward the infield._

"_I'll be back." Sawyer tapped the fence Nick was leaning on and started walking backwards. She and Graham stepped onto the dirt side by side and he looked to her. Sawyer could feel his eyes on her and she arched her brow. "What?"_

_He playfully pushed her toward right field, "I'm just glad you're happy, Sawyer."_

_Stopping in her tracks, Sawyer gave Graham a raised brow. "I'm always happy."_

_The final inning ended up going three up three down and with the Guardsmen beating the Coasties 5 to 3. Sawyer liked winning and she liked being on the winning team even better. After everyone celebrated their victory while shaking the other team's hands, Sawyer walked over to a guy sporting glasses and a green shirt. "Hey."_

"_Nice game."_

"_Thanks." The two walked over to their cars and Sawyer looked at her watch. "You wanna go in one car?" The weather was too nice not to drive the convertible. "We can go in mine and I can bring you back to your car later."_

"_Yeah. That works." Nick nodded and had already gained an understanding about Sawyer and her car. They were one in the same and at all cost, if they could take it, she wanted to._

_Nick and Sawyer got in her speedy convertible and the blonde pulled away from the park not sure of where they were headed. "What sounds good for lunch?"_

"_You tell me."_

_Sawyer shifted gears and headed towards her most favorite place in town. "How about Mexican?"_

_Nick nodded and rocked back in his chair when she shifted again. "Sounds good to me." His attention went back to watching her handle her car. There was something about what she was doing that was captivating. He wasn't even a car guy but the fact that Sawyer knew her way around a stick shift was sexy._

_She could tell he was watching her and turned to him with a smirk. "Am I making you nervous? I have a bad habit about going too fast."_

_Sawyer made him nervous but not because of the way she drove. To be honest he hadn't even noticed that she was flying by everyone else and Nick shook his head. "No, it's not that. I was just wondering what made you pick this car?"_

"_Besides the fact that it makes people's heads turn." Sawyer laughed at herself and shrugged. "I don't know. My dad really likes fixing cars and this was sitting in someone's driveway with a for sale sign. As soon as I saw it I wanted it." She slowed down when she saw the approaching light turn yellow. "But there were lots of good grades and chores that came and went before it was mine."_

"_So your dad fixed it up?"_

_Sawyer nodded, "Yep. Runs like champ." She patted the dashboard like a proud mama._

_Nick laughed and shook his head at his lacking skills. "I never was able to master a stick shift."_

"_What?" Sawyer looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Are you kidding. Everyone needs to know how to drive a stick."_

_Holding up his hands, Nick looked at them like they were failures. "I just never figured it out."_

_When the light turned green Sawyer took a right and pulled along the curb of a less than busy street. "Switch with me."_

"_What?" He laughed and shook his head. "I'm gonna strip your gears."_

"_No you won't." Sawyer got out of the driver's seat and walked to the passenger seat and leaned down with a cute smile. "I'll help you."_

_Nick didn't really have much of a choice and he switched seats with Sawyer. He sat down in the driver's seat and took a hold of the steering wheel with a sigh. "Okay...so what do I do first?"_

"_Brake. Push the emergency brake down." She watched him do that and then held out her hands so she could demonstrate. "The clutch is the furthest pedal on the left. You're gonna wanna press that when you want to change gears."_

"_And I start in one, right?" He had a nervous laugh follow his question and looked at Sawyer._

"_Yeah." She nodded and continued her preliminary lecture. "Keep an eye on the RPMs and if they go past five you'll be able to hear the engine tell you to switch. Don't let it get to red or we'll be smoking."_

_Nick gripped the steering wheel and really didn't want to mess up this car. "Maybe you should just drive?"_

"_You'll get it. It's not hard." That was easy for her to say. She'd been doing this for a while. "Clutch. First gear. Gas."_

_Nick pressed the clutch and shifted out of park into first, gave the Ghia a little gas and they started rolling. It wasn't a smooth roll but they were going, and all of about seven miles an hour at that. "How's this?"_

"_Perfect. Now give it a little more gas and when you see the needle go up, press the clutch and go to second."_

_Pressing the clutch, Nick did as he was told but the car sputtered to a stop. "That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" He laughed at himself and she shook her head._

"_You're gonna stall sometimes. And that's okay." Sawyer reached across Nick ready to crank the engine. The key was on the left side of the steering wheel so she had to lean close to him. "Press the clutch, alright?"_

_Nick pressed the clutch and Sawyer cranked her most valued possession. Nick was able to get it going in first gear and it came time for him to switch to second._

"_Remember, clutch, shift to second, give it a little gas."_

_Taking her words seriously, Nick did as he was supposed to and tried again but it wasn't working. He didn't have the touch. They tried a few more times and then they were both getting restless._

"_I'm gonna kill your car."_

"_If I haven't yet, I doubt you will." Sawyer felt him crank it again and then they started slowly rolling down the pavement._

"_Clutch, shift, gas. Clutch, shift, gas..." Nick was coaching himself because he wanted to impress her. He was going to drive her car...more than thirty yards._

_The engine revved when he tried to get to second and it sounded like it was choking but surprisingly Nick got it working. They were coasting and ready for third gear and Nick shifted gears only to have the car spit and cough at him._

"_Clutch, clutch!" Sawyer saw the RPMs rise to a dangerous level and she winced._

_Nick tried the clutch and shift edagain but nothing seemed to work. "What do I do? What do I do?" The engine sounded like a train while it tried to kick into gear._

_Sawyer saw the needle race into the red and then she heard a pop that she was sure wasn't supposed to happen. Suddenly the car shut off started to slow down. Nick carefully pulled up to the curb. "Did I just break you car?"_

_She hoped not. That would suck. Really bad. "I don't know." She unbuckled and flung open her door. "I'll check the engine."_

_Nick thought that was a good idea and went for the hood of the car but saw Sawyer at the trunk. "It's back here." Sawyer laughed at her foreign car and opened up the trunk and could feel the heat of the engine as soon as she lifted it._

"_I'll pay for it. Everything. I'm so sorry." Nick raised his hand to his brow knowing he may have just killed her classic car._

"_You didn't kill it. I think she's just over-heated. I can get my brother to tow it to his shop and check on it, though." Sawyer had picked up a thing or two about cars over her lifetime and from what she could tell, there was no significant damage. Her car just needed to rest._

_Sawyer pulled out her phone and called her brother's shop to get her car towed. Keith didn't answer but one of his employees did which was probably a good thing because that meant someone other than her than her brother would come with a truck._

_When she hung up, Sawyer sat down on the curb and looked up to Nick. "I'll call a cab for us."_

_Nick started laughing and sat down next to her. "Next time you can drive."_

_Sawyer laughed nodding. "Yeah. I'll remember that." She had a taxi service programed in her phone and scrolled through her contacts. The blonde looked to Nick and met his brown eyes with a smirk. "At least you weren't horrible."_

"_I was worse than horrible."_

_Laughing still, Sawyer shrugged, "Okay...maybe you're right." Sawyer leaned over and nudged him in the shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, though."_

_Turning to her, Nick was caught off guard by what she said and without thought or reason kissed her. Really kissed her. Not a goodnight kiss on the cheek or a polite peck. A real kiss. A full on, catch your breath afterwards, make or break everything, kiss._

_Sawyer hadn't expected it but she certainly enjoyed it._

The chair screeched against the floor as Nick slid it back under the table and he looked at the dinner in the sink they were supposed to be having. "I think we can fix this."

Sawyer laughed and hung her mouth open. "How? We can't eat any of..." She pointed to their burnt food with a wince "...that."

"You have more chicken?" Nick walked over to the stove and saw that the noddles were still fine. Not yet thoroughly cooked, but still edible.

"Yeah." Sawyer walked to the fridge and was glad that she accidentally grabbed two packages of breasts at the store. "But just so you know...you really don't want me to cook anymore. I was lucky to get this far."

Nick laughed because he never pegged her as a cook. "That's fine. We can do it together." He dumped the burnt chicken out of the pan and washed it out.

Sawyer had always liked a guy who could cook. She walked over to her turn table in the living room and picked up a Rilo Kiley album. Turning the volume up, Sawyer walked back into the kitchen and watched him cut up the chicken silently thinking to herself that she could get used to this, and that maybe he could teach her a few things in the kitchen. She'd never make it to Top Chef or win any food critic's heart, but she might win Nick's.

"Hey..." He turned around and arched his brow, "Do you have any oregano?"

Sawyer walked up to him with a cute smirk and shrugged her shoulders as she kissed him. "I don't even know what that is."

He couldn't help but laugh at her lack of culinary skills and knowledge. This girl was really something else.

Nick reached up to open up the cabinet above him and saw dishes so he tried the next one and laughed a the blue box. He turned around to Sawyer and held out the breakfast food. "Pop-Tarts?"

Holding out her hands so he could toss them to her, Sawyer caught her former favorite food and opened up the trash can. "I've been meaning to get rid of those."

Out with the old and in with the new.

It was a simple concept that didn't seem hard to grasp. Sawyer could handle change. She could handle something new. And as she tossed those Pop-Tarts in the trash she was saying goodbye to her past and hello to her future. Looking up, Sawyer caught her breath when she glanced at Nick and wondered if he was her future. Right now she could see that happening. And she kinda liked it.

**OTHOTH**

**Alright guys...how about this Nick guy? Is he sushi guy? Do you want him to be sushi guy? Is he what she needs? And more importantly is he what she wants? We'll just have to wait and see.**

**Next chapter will probably get dramatic as I'm planning on doing a hurricane themed chapter in honor of Irene. How does that sound? Y'all ready for something that keeps you on your toes? But that also means I'll probably skip Keith and Bridget's wedding? Is that okay?**

**My reviewers are my motivation, my source of inspiration, and my saving grace. Thanks for the support, guys. You really do all deserve the biggest high five on the planet. But since I can't do that, here are your anonymous replies:**

**C: I'm so glad you liked Keith in the last chapter. He'll continue to play a role in the story as it progresses. I'm also happy that I was able to make Leyton likable, lol. Thanks for the review.**

**Joan: Yeah, nope, Reeves was NOT sushi guy. He was just thrown in there to show that Sawyer wasn't going bounce from Ben to Mr. Right. It's not an easy road. Yay, I'm glad you liked that Keith got the garage back up and going. Gosh...I planned that from like day one of this story so I was happy I could finally write about it. As for sushi guy not being in the Coast Guard...that might be true, might not. There are lots of Coasties in town and she could end up with one of them...maybe, or maybe not. LOL.**

**Anonymoususer: Wow, thank you for such an amazing review. It's great to know you really enjoy this story. I have a lot of fun writing it! You're right, you could tell that Sawyer was trying to forget about Ben while she was with Reeves but lets be honest...she's never going to forget about it. Especially while Trout is still around. Leyton used to be the hardest couple to write but Brulian takes the cake without a doubt now. I have a very hard time taping into Julian. That's why he's hardly featured in the stories, and I feel bad about that, but I'd rather not include him than butcher his character, ya know. About doing a LM: Leyton. I've thought about it. I have seriously considered it. Obviously right now I don't have time to do that but it is something I've thought about doing and might do once LM is finished. We'll just have to see. If I can get enough people behind it and people wanting me to...then sure...why not (and I could even do a Brulian one if I got Julian figured out). Right now I know there are a few stories like LM that center on the other couples and I wouldn't want to step on those author's toes, but we'll see. It could happen!**

**Please Review!**


	11. Still Too Soon to Know

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 11: Still Too Soon to Know**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer Scott and all the other characters from the show belong to Mr. Schwann. Not me.**

**A/N: I know some of you are itching to read the hurricane chapter but breathe easy for a second. That's _next_ chapter. This one helps show a little bit of Sawyer and Nick's relationship before it weathers any storm. There's a wedding and a trip featured in this one. On a side note, I don't speak French or Cajun...so just go with it. I hope you like it! Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The church sanctuary was buzzing with the sound of wedding goers, and the mid-May weather was perfect for the occasion. It wasn't raining and there was a nice summer breeze bustling through the festive air. Sawyer watched people fill the pews and knew it was gonna be a good day. Before things got started though, she figured she could drop in on her little brother before he said 'I do'.

When she walked into the little room, Keith was pacing like a nervous teenage boy before asking out the most popular girl in school. The little room he was in was hardly the halls of Tree Hill High and Bridget was more than just a popular girl. She was everything he could ever need in someone. And that scared him to death. He was frail, pail, and felt like he could pass out at any moment.

Pacing the room and tugging on his collar, Keith turned to the door thinking his best man was coming in to get him. It wasn't, so Keith furrowed his brow when he saw his sister. "Where's Dad?"

Looking over her shoulder, Sawyer shrugged, "I don't know?"

Keith felt like he couldn't breathe and glanced to his sister with a pleading look. "I can't do this, Sawyer. Go out there and tell them I ca..."

"Whoa, whoa..." Sawyer walked up to her brother and shook her head. "Breathe first. Talk later."

"No, this wedding isn't happening." Keith looked down at his suit and laughed. "I mean I'm only twenty five. Shouldn't I still be single and..."

"No." Sawyer shook her head and knew that Keith was talking out of his ass and that he was probably high off of the musty old people smell the room had. She looked to him sympathetically knowing he was having his pre-wedding freakout. Sawyer tried her hardest not to laugh and took a breath before giving him reassuring stats. "Mom and Dad were younger than you. Uncle Nathan and Aunt..."

Keith turned to his sister and looked right at her. "But _you're_ not married." She was older and supposedly wiser. Wasn't she supposed to do things first and he'd follow later?

No. As much as Sawyer was a leader, Keith had always strayed from Sawyer's path. It was why they were so different yet so much a like; the reason they loved-hated each other like no other brother-sister duo in town. "Well...I'm not you." Sawyer knew her personal life wasn't giving her baby brother any good ideas. "But listen to me and shut up for a second."

Keith got quiet and Sawyer moved closer to him fixing his tie. Keith felt his sister fumble and yank on the material but Sawyer hadn't said a word. He waited to hear her little speech but it never came. "Uh...aren't you gonna say something?" She'd told him to listen for a reason, right?

Pressing her hands against his shoulders, Sawyer dusted off the top of his suit. She shook her head with a mischievous grin. "Anything I tell you would be something you already know." Her blue eyes met her brother's and she nodded. "You _love_ Bridget. You are _in love_ with her. You're gonna have _babies_ with her, and your _gonna_ _marry_ her."

Maybe he needed to hear someone say it? Maybe that was all it took to steady his nerves because Keith felt a lot better about this wedding thing after hearing Sawyer say that. Everything that she'd said had been the truth, and sometimes hearing it come from someone you trust, and someone you love, was all it took.

Keith took a deep breath and smiled at his wise sister. "When did you get so grown up? I thought you'd just hit me?"

"Somethings change, Keith." Sawyer smiled and sweetly raised her hand to his cheek. "And some things don't." The loud smack her hand made against his nervous skin made her laugh.

"Ow!" Keith furrowed his brow and raised his hand to his cheek while he watched his sister walk out of the room. He should have known that she would literally smack some sense into him.

Making her way to the doors of the church, Sawyer checked her watch and knew her boyfriend would be pulling up sometime soon. Nick was probably good at these kinds of things. He probably saw the meaning and significance of a ceremony that was a perfect waste of time and money. But that was kind of nice. He was good for her like that. He rationalized the kinds of things she didn't understand or like, and she taught him more about the art of opinions and good music. For whatever reason they worked well together and the twenty-eight year old had a pretty good idea that this Nick Beasley guy was someone who could be sticking around for a while.

If they could tile a bathroom together maybe they could stay together? Sawyer laughed as she felt a soft breeze blow against her cheek while she remembered their hilarious home-improvement fiasco.

_Sawyer drove across town with her music loud and the top down. She'd never been to Nick's house but she was looking forward to seeing his little fixer-upper. He wasn't traveling this weekend and while he was in town he was gonna do a little renovating to make the place a little more modern and up to-date. Sawyer was on her way to help. Would she really help? Maybe? She'd never done any sort of home improvement job herself, but she'd lend a hand. What was the worst that could happen?_

_They'd been dating just over a month and Sawyer turned on Nick's street as the April sun started to peek out behind the clouds. Sawyer felt the heat on her skin and parked under a shady tree when she pulled up to Nick's house. She eyed the quaint home and liked the simplistic design and muted gray color. It wasn't fancy but it wasn't horrible. It needed a little tender loving care, and that's what she and Nick were aiming to do._

_Walking up to the front door, she almost knocked but knew he was expecting her. She opened up the door and loved the way it squeaked. The old home had seen better days but something about the faults made it all the more interesting. The entrance hall was covered in old hardwood and it sang her a moaning tune as she walked to the kitchen._

"_Nick?" Sawyer took off her sunglasses and put her bag on the table wondering where he was._

"_In here." His voice came from the left side of the house and Sawyer started walking that way._

_Glancing at the pictures that lined the wall, Sawyer found herself looking at them as she walked to the hall bathroom. One of the pictures was of his family and she found herself staring at the group of six. His parents, Tricia and Pete, looked really kind and sweet. It wasn't like a picture could tell her that, but Sawyer had a feeling they were nice people. They had to be if they were anything like their son. In their late fifties, Tricia an Pete looked as in love as they were the day they met. Nick had only briefly mentioned them a few times, but if Sawyer ever met them she had a feeling she'd like them. Tricia had a warm smile and from her glasses, Sawyer could only assume that she'd given her vision to Nick. It was a trait that Sawyer couldn't get enough of. Mr. Beasley had grayed prematurely but was an attractive older man. A silver fox one could even say. His graying hair brought out his light eyes. Standing next to Mrs. Beasley, Sawyer knew and recognized Nick's younger sister, Hannah. She worked at the high school with Charlotte and was exactly how a cute young teacher should look. She was about twenty five and had an eager grin on her. One that made it seem like she was ready and willing to take on the world. Which was probably a good thing considering she had to deal with moody teenagers all day. Nick was standing next to Hannah and on the other side of him was an older brunette. Given her options, Sawyer knew the other Beasley must have been Jen. Nick's thirty something sister was an elementary teacher and was probably the one all the kids wanted. A small and shy looking little boy was standing in front of her and Sawyer knew that must have been Zachary, Nick' s five year old nephew. After a tough divorce a little while ago, Jen was a single mom but was doing the best she could. The group of people all looked friendly and welcoming through the frame and Sawyer continued to walk towards Nick._

_He stuck his head out of the bathroom and smiled. "Hey."_

_Smiling at his disheveled appearance, Sawyer liked the fact that he was a little out of the element she'd seen him in so often. He wasn't in a jacket and tie, his hair wasn't brushed, but he still had on those glasses. His t-shirt was old and faded, the blue athletic shorts looked like they had a college mascot on them, and he had white dust scattered over his tan skin._

"_Hey." Sawyer made her way to the door and leaned on the wooden frame. "So we're..." She stuck her head in the bathroom and saw even more of the white dust that covered everything including Nick. "...we're tiling the floor?"_

_Revving the drill he was using to break the old tile, he grinned. "Yep. Think you can handle it?" His tone was playful and he started to laugh._

"_Hand that to me. You're gonna wanna watch and learn." Sawyer had no idea what she was doing but figured it couldn't be hard to use the end of the bit to break up the old tile. _

_Nick did as he was told and watched her step over him and get in position. She knelt by the sink and aimed the drill at the base of the porcelain. He saw her finger on the trigger and had to butt in before she started. "Careful. It's harder than it looks."_

_Sawyer shrugged him off and started to pummel the tile that didn't stand a chance. She saw it start to crack and loved the vibration in her hands as she worked to get the old stuff off the floor. It took a little more muster and strength than she thought, but she was coping. The white dust that flew up towards her face, though, she wasn't expecting. She had to close her eyes when it became a dust bowl in the little bathroom and took her finger off the drill. Waving her hand in front of her face, Sawyer coughed but looked to her work. "Not half bad." She cocked her brow and held the drill out like a cowboy from the Wild Wild West and blew towards the bit with a grin._

_Nick couldn't deny that she'd done a good job. There were probably only a few things in life Sawyer Scott wasn't good at. He imagined she could handle just about whatever anyone threw at her. It was a big reason why he was so attracted to her. Besides her obvious good looks, Sawyer was the kind of person to take charge of a situation even when she wasn't sure what she was doing. That was both intimidating and sexy at the same time. Confidence was sexy._

_Sawyer leaned over to start drilling some more and Nick got up from the floor. "I'm gonna get the new tiles. Are you good in here?"_

"_Perfect." Sawyer nodded and yelled over the noise of the drill and went back to work. She enjoyed this more than she thought. Most of the time if she ever needed something done around the house she'd get her dad or brother to fix it, but as she broke up the tile she was starting to think she could do things like this on her own from now on. Maybe she could even do it with Nick? That would be even better. She liked the fact that he was making her take chances and do things she'd never done. She'd tried sushi the other night and was pleasantly surprised at how that ended up. California rolls weren't half bad._

_Walking outside, the handsome accountant grabbed the two boxes of tiles and other things they'd need before he headed back inside. Nick couldn't help but laugh when he made it to the bathroom door. Sawyer was really getting into this. She'd been wearing jeans and a tank top, and if he hadn't seen her before, he wouldn't know what color they'd been because she was as white as a ghost now. The dust that the drill was creating left a thick coating on everything in sight, and it looked like baking flour exploded everywhere._

"_Sorry about your clothes. I should have told you to wear something old."_

_Laughing because everything she owned was old, Sawyer shrugged. "Nah. No big deal." She went back to breaking up the old tiles and saw him set the boxes of new tiles just outside the door. For another ten minutes Sawyer broke up the rest of the bathroom floor, and when there was a small space left she looked at Nick. "You want the honors?"_

_He knew she'd been enjoying the demolition and shook his head. "I'm gonna get the broom and dustpan. I got a shop-vac but I don't know if we'll need it." Nick had been throwing away the big chunks of tile but was now left with the little stuff. _

_Sawyer knew that they were gonna need more than a broom to tackle the mess around her, but she was gonna let Nick get the broom while she finished off the tile. Nick came in with the broom and started sweeping up the dust only to find out it was kicking it up more._

_Coughing, Sawyer started to laugh and put her hands on her hips. "How about the shop-vac?"_

"_Yeah...that'll work better." He laughed at his failed attempt and smudged a line of dust off his face._

_Not three minutes later Sawyer heard wheels rolling down the hall and saw the piece of equipment headed her way. Cornered in the bathroom, Sawyer stood in the tub while Nick started to suck up the dust. It didn't take long for him to get it all up and she couldn't help but noticed that he'd worked up a sweat in doing so. The hose must have been a little heavy because beads of sweat pooled at his hairline. She started to laugh because it looked like he had on white makeup that was starting run._

"_What?" He saw her smiling and knew it was something he'd done._

_She shook her head and stepped out of the tub. "Nothing." Reaching out to wipe off a palm full of dust off his head, she held out her hand. "Nice."_

_Sawyer had the same thing going for her and Nick stuck his finger in the middle of her finger drawing a zigzag across her skin. His picture came off a little crooked and looking nothing like he'd wanted. "That didn't turn out well."_

_Laughing, Sawyer leaned toward him and blew off the dust on his cheek before she kissed it. "So you're not an artist?"_

_Shaking his head, Nick felt her lips on his skin and didn't care about the dust that covered her face and kissed her back. He was holding the hose of the shop-vac in one hand while his other was snaking across her back, pulling her close._

_Sawyer's hip bone smacked against the sink as she started to kiss Nick, and she laughed as she pulled away. "Ow."_

_Nick couldn't keep his hands off of her and kissed her again, "That didn't hurt."_

"_Yes it did." She nodded and arched her brow before she kissed him some more. Sawyer started to pull on Nick's shirt in the direction of the door. Before she could get there, though, the shop-vac stopped her and she bumped into it._

_Suddenly they both heard the machine turn on. It was a strange sound mixed with the the vacuum "oomph" at the bank drive-thru and a sucking noise with a high-pitched squeal. This time, however, it came on but it wasn't sucking anything up; it shot it out. A cloud of white rushed out of the hose and onto Sawyer's chest, neck, and shoulders._

_Feeling the power of the dust slam against her body, Sawyer closed her eyes and her mouth before the dust could get anywhere else. She could feel the dust under her shirt and she opened her eyes in utter bewilderment. "What just happened?"_

_Nick watched as the residue settled and dumbfounded as he looked at the girl in front of him who was covered in dust. "I don't know? One of us must have hit the switch."_

_Instead of getting mad, Sawyer started to laugh and knew she'd done this to herself. She was the one who had hit the shop-vac and for whatever reason when she bumped into it she hit it in the worst direction._

_Nick started to dust off her shoulders and reached for a nearby hand towel. "Here. Sorry."_

_Knowing that his aid was of little help, Sawyer shrugged and looked down at the mess. She could feel the dust that was caked on her skin and was almost sure that it was in her bra, too. "You think you have a shirt I can change into?"_

"_Yeah, yeah. Hold on." Nick nodded but before he could get out of the bathroom he was watching Sawyer strip off her shirt. _

_Standing shirtless in the hall bathroom, Sawyer tossed her shirt on the floor and looked down. She laughed and the situation and then looked to Nick. She knew his eyes were on her body and she arched her brow. "Normally I don't get topless so soon..." She laughed at her own joke and could feel her cheeks start to blush._

_Nick didn't mind and took a step closer to her. "It's not often that I..."_

_He didn't even get to finish before she kissed him. There was enough sexual tension in the room that could have smothered the both of them. Before either of them knew it, Sawyer was pulling him out of the bathroom and Nick was pushing her. This wasn't a he started it or she started it kind of thing, this was on both of them._

"_This way." Nick tilted his head toward the opposite side of the house Sawyer was headed and pulled her towards the bedroom. Her touch felt like fire and her kiss was just as potent._

_Sawyer could feel her nerves kick in. Normally she wasn't nervous about this kind of thing. But she could already tell that this was gonna be different than the rest._

_As they made their way into his bedroom, clothes started coming off. Sawyer wasn't an insecure person but her motions were slow and dangerous. Nick watched her fumble with the button of her jeans and she watched him slide down his athletic shorts. The blonde saw his solid color boxers and smiled. She wouldn't have expected anything else and she liked it that way._

A wedding goer brushed against Sawyer's shoulder and she blinked through her trance. Standing on the stoop overlooking the other friends and family who were arriving, Sawyer saw a precious four year old little girl walking up to her. Sawyer put her hands on her hips. "Roe boat, look at you!" Sawyer's eyes got big as she looked over Lily's adorable little girl, Sarah Roe. She was one of the handful of kids Sawyer could tolerate.

"Hi." The tiny brunette walked up next to her older cousin and hugged Sawyer.

"Where's your mom?" Sawyer looked up and saw Lily on the phone. She looked the same as always; a perfect match between Keith and Karen.

Sawyer and Lily used to get to see a lot of each other. Back when Sawyer was up in Boston for school and before Lily had a little girl, the older Scott would hang out with her niece from time to time. These days she was still up in Boston with a successful interior design shop, tiny tot, and handsome contractor husband.

Answering Sawyer's question even though the blonde had figured it out, Sarah Roe pointed at her mom. "Talking with Daddy."

Lily had finished her conversation and was walking toward her niece and daughter. Smiling, the soon to be thirty-four year old gave Sawyer a hug. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Sawyer hugged Lily back and looked to the little girl next to them. "She's gotten so big, Lil. I hardly recognized her."

"You hardly recognized me?" Sarah Roe scrunched up her face and looked to Sawyer with a funny smile.

"Just cause you've grown up so much!"

Lily laughed nodded, "It goes by so fast." Lily saw her mom amongst the guests and pointed for her youngster to grab a seat with Grandma. The two older Scott women watched the little girl head to Karen, and Lily turned to Sawyer with a smile. "So...my big brother tells me that you've got a boyfriend you've been hiding."

Laughing, Sawyer shrugged with a nod. "It's...complicated."

"No it's not." Lily shook her head and arched her brow. "Why so secretive, Sawyer?" The older Scott may or may not have been on a mission to hang around her niece until she met this mystery guy. Lucas wanted to know who his daughter was dating and how perfect was it that he could get his little sister to spy on Sawyer?

But Sawyer was onto Lily and Lucas' scheme. "I just don't want to rush things."

"Fine. Whatever you say." Lily knew better than to press her snarky niece so she glanced to the church and smiled. "Kind of funny, isn't it?"

"What?"

"You know, Keith marrying Bridget." She smiled thinking about her own parents and nodded to Sawyer, "He works at the garage and Bridget is a chef. It's just funny how life runs in parallels." Lily shrugged thinking about her own mom and dad. "If her name started with a K then it would be even better."

For some strange reason Sawyer never even put two and two together. Keith's and her soon-to-be sister-in-law's occupations had never really crossed her mind. But when it came to the Scotts, things did have a tendency to run in the family. Sometimes it was by choice, and sometimes it was simple happenstance. Either way, whatever the reason, Keith and Bridget's story was getting pretty cute, and it was bound to be cuter. Sawyer knew they'd give her cute nieces and nephews and looked to Lily with a grin. "So does that mean Bridget's pregnant, too?"

Knowing that Sawyer was referencing the fact that Keith and Karen hadn't been married when her mom had gotten pregnant with her, Lily shook her head. "No. It's you."

"Me!" Sawyer's heart sank and she suddenly felt everything stop. She was not pregnant. "What?"

"Yeah. You better watch out for it. It's the Scott curse." Lily laughed, "Or blessing, whichever way you wanna put it."

"Huh?"

Nodding while laughing, Lily smiled. "It's fate. Think about it. Mom and Dan _weren't_ married when they conceived Lucas. Mom and my dad weren't _married_ when they conceived me. Your mom and dad _weren't_ married when they conceived you. I _wasn't_ married when I got pregnant." Lilly laughed and added to her list of reasons "Ellie and Mick weren't Scotts but...you've got it coming on both sides of the family."

"But what about the rest of them?" Sawyer wasn't liking the way things were shaping up. "Mom and Dad _were_ married when they had Kieth."

"Exactly. So he'll be married when he has his first." Lily laughed because she could see the worry in Sawyer's eyes. "It's a strange coincidence that I stumbled upon when I was pregnant."

Sawyer thought about her family history and knew again that Lily had pointed out something that had never crossed her mind. Was she really gonna buy it though? It was all a huge coincidence. Right? It had to be. Simple as that. It wasn't a real curse. Sawyer should be worried. She would stay the un-motherly type and enjoy the rest of her life without having to worry about diapers, lunch money, or paying for weddings. Sawyer took in her surroundings and couldn't help but arch her brow. No. There would absolutely be no kids, no lunch, no money, no weddings; no nothing.

Lily knew she should head inside and nudged Sawyer as she walked by. "Just something to think about."

Why would she want to think about that? The so called-Scott curse was a figment of her aunt's imagination that she probably made up when she was high off of pickles and ice-cream when she was pregnant with Sarah Roe. Sawyer wasn't even sure she believed in curses. Scratch that, she was _sure_ she didn't.

While the blonde in her late twenties contemplated her life choices and decisions, she saw two familiar people walk toward her. Gathering up her muster to crack a joke to take her mind away from what Lily said, Sawyer laughed when Charlotte and Graham walked up to her. "Little shit is getting married before me. Can you believe it?" Her tone was hilariously sarcastic.

Graham laughed and excused himself to get seats, and the younger brunette took a deep breath answering Sawyer's question, "I can't say I'm all that surprised."

Sawyer rolled her eyes with a laugh because she wasn't either. She knew she wasn't the marrying kind. She'd thought her views had changed on marriage once, but they'd returned back to normal. Weddings were a waist of time. Things with Nick were so far, so good, but she didn't see marriage in her future.

Now maybe that would change. But somehow she couldn't see herself getting married in a church with hundred dollar flower arrangements, or give-you-blister-shoes.

Turning their conversation to her doe-eyed god-daughter, Hattie, Sawyer smiled. "So how's my favorite...uh...second cousin?" That sounded weird so she shook her head, "Let's just stick with niece."

With just Sawyer's question Charlotte felt her throat go dry. She'd had a hard enough time leaving her one month old with a babysitter. As her throat went dry her big brown eyes started to well.

"Whoa, hey, I didn't mean to strike a chord, sorry." Sawyer winced and furrowed her brow.

"No...it's me. I just..." Charlotte laughed and used her fingers to catch any stray tears, "Don't judge me. This is hard. If you have kids you'll understand."

"Bah!" Sawyer laughed out loud and had to cover her mouth because other wedding goers turned to look at the outburst. Lowering her voice, Sawyer shook her head, "That would be a probably not. Besides...you and Graham are gonna have enough so we can just share." Sawyer smiled but wondered why all this kid talk lately. Did someone know something she didn't? She quickly glanced at her stomach to see if there was a bump she didn't know existed. There wasn't.

Looking to her best friend, Sawyer knew that Charlotte and Graham would have a houseful. She could pop over there if she ever needed her kid fix. Keith and Bridget were gonna have babies eventually, too, so Sawyer was actually gonna be doing Tree Hill a favor. She wouldn't be contributing to overpopulation.

Sawyer knew there would be no babies with her genealogy running through town, and she looked back up to Charlotte only to see Nick park along the curb. The blonde spotted her boyfriend getting out and headed for his black car, "I'll catch ya inside. Save us a seat."

Sawyer knew Charlotte would, and she met Nick halfway between the church doors and the street. He looked handsome in his suit, and when he pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose, Sawyer felt herself start to smile.

He had a cute grin spread across his lips and he kissed Sawyer when they were close enough. "You look beautiful."

Her dress wasn't anything fancy. Simple and a color blue she wore better than she probably should have, the dress matched her eyes and even made her hair look good. "You look nice, too."

The couple made their way inside and they found their way over to Charlotte and Graham. Sawyer and Nick took their seats and the blonde felt her boyfriend of three months place his hand just above her knee. Inexplicably a song started playing in her head. This had happened before. She always had a soundtrack for her relationships. This was a little different though. She couldn't make out the words or the melody but she knew it sounded familiar; a comforting familiar that made everything feel easy and right. She'd never been a fan of weddings or big to-do's about anything, but somehow Nick made things easy.

And that was a good thing. It was something Sawyer could get used to.

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer and Nick had been going strong now for about five months, and things looked to stay that way. The duo had just finished dinner at Sawyer's house and were in the process of cleaning up. Sawyer turned up the music they were listening to and eyed the level of dishwasher detergent before she closed the cap to turn it on. Nick wiped down the stove top and tossed the paper towel toward the trashcan. He missed pretty horribly, and Sawyer laughed at him while she got his rebound and tossed it in the trash. They worked pretty well together to get the kitchen cleaned up, and when it smelled of 409, Nick grabbed his briefcase.

Sawyer turned to him with a furrowed brow. "You aren't really gonna work, are you?"

He nodded and sat down at the table they'd just wiped off. "I told you I would have to bring this over if we did dinner." He popped the clasps and looked to Sawyer with regret in his eyes. "I won't be long, though. I just have to go through a few of the accounts to make sure invoices match up. The auditors will have the real work tomorrow."

He had a pretty important job, and Sawyer knew she should let him work. Walking toward the other side of the counter, Sawyer poured herself a glass of wine and got another for Nick. She set it next to him and kissed him on the temple with a smirk. "Let your paperwork keep you up. I'll find someone else to entertain me." She was flirty and sarcastic in her tone and walked toward the couch hoping he wouldn't be long.

Channel after channel, Sawyer was let down with what was on television. She settled on a channel that she didn't watch often. HGTV wasn't top on her list of favorites, but she was watching some reality show about couples redoing their homes. There was a bit of familiarity in the process and Sawyer kept it tuned to the channel wondering if the husband and wife would argue their whole way through the renovation.

Nick had been checking the numbers for the last twenty minutes and pulled off his glasses rubbing his eyes. He was flying to New Orleans in the morning and wanted to make sure and then double check his work before he landed in Louisiana.

Sawyer had gotten bored with the bickering couple on television and walked back to the kitchen to put her wine glass up. She saw Nick rubbing his eyes and walked over to him.

He looked to her when he heard her walk close. "I'm almost done."

"Yeah?" Sawyer arched her brow and sat down on Nick's leg. "How's it coming?"

"Slowly." He laughed and felt her take off his glasses.

Sawyer placed the black rimmed spectacles on her face and smiled. "How do I look?"

"You look better in them than me."

"No I don't. I love you in your glasses." She kissed him and then started to squint. "But my God, you're blind. These make me nauseous."

"Yeah, sorry." He laughed and took his glasses off her face. "I couldn't see the big E when I was little."

Sawyer's eyes got wide and she laughed. "Seriously?"

"Scouts honor." He held up his hand and nodded.

"Were you a boy scout?" Sawyer could see him being that kind of kid.

"Eagle scout."

"Oh, well aren't you special." She laughed and leaned close to him.

Nodding, Nick grinned, "It was kind of a big deal." Not everyone earned an eagle scout ranking.

"Mm-huh, I bet." Sawyer kissed Nick and started to move away from him. "I'll leave you to your work and find something to watch."

"It shouldn't be much longer."

"Yeah, yeah..." Sawyer smiled and tossed her hand up in the air as she walked back to the couch. She had a feeling that his 'shouldn't be much longer' would turn into the opposite. Getting comfortable on the couch, Sawyer patted Trout when he sauntered over to her. He laid down at the foot of the couch and Sawyer leaned back in the pillows ready to find something interesting to watch.

She didn't. The only thing she was watching was the inside of her eyelids.

Nick had checked and double checked the numbers for the fifth time, and when he was sure things were done he put all of his papers away. Checking his watch, he knew it had gotten late and walked out of the kitchen towards the living room. The television was on leaving a soft buzz through the room but Sawyer wasn't watching it. Nick saw her slumped over asleep and he couldn't help but smile.

There was a little bit of room on the edge of the couch and Nick sat down hoping he didn't wake her. She looked comfortable but he felt bad that he'd worked so long she'd fallen asleep. Trout got up from his spot on the floor and walked over to Nick with his snout up in the air.

"Hey, boy." Nick reached out for the dog that had grown to like him. He patted the dog's head and turned to Sawyer when he heard her start to move. She didn't wake up and Nick turned to Trout. "Should I take her to bed?"

Trout didn't do anything but lay back down on the floor. Nick laughed at the helpful advice and looked at Sawyer once more. There was something about the way she slept that made him smile. Maybe it was the fact that her mouth was closed and she couldn't make snarky comments, or maybe it was that she looked more beautiful just lying there compared to having to try? He didn't know, but there was something about Sawyer Scott that made his heart race and his smile widen. She was something new and something different. She didn't like to be wrong and she had an opinion about everything. She was the kind of person who would tell you how it was and not care if it hurt your feelings. She wasn't a very good cook but she could drive the hell out of a car. There were a lot of things he liked about the twenty eight year old, and he was excited to learn more.

Feeling her back tighten as she sunk into the couch that didn't offer a lot of support, Sawyer started to open her eyes and saw those glasses staring back at her. "Hey. How long was I out?"

"Come to New Orleans with me."

It wasn't the answer she was looking for and laughed as she started to sit up. "What? You're leaving tomorrow."

"I know. So come with me. I'll only have to drop the paperwork off and then we can...take in the city or something." He looked at her hoping she would say yes. "I've been working so much lately we haven't really gotten to do much. If you can get out of work then..."

Sawyer started to smirk. "I can _always_ get out of work."

He laughed and leaned towards her with a smile. "I'll get you a ticket then."

"And what time is this flight we're supposedly taking tomorrow?"

"Early." He kissed the side of her cheek and then her neck.

Pulling away, Sawyer arched her brow. "How early?"

Nick didn't want to tell her they'd have to be at the airport before the sun came up and shook her off with a cute grin. "Early, early."

Laughing, Sawyer shrugged ,"Well then...I think I'll take a rain ch..."

"No you won't." He shook his head and kissed her. "Come with me."

Looking at him, Sawyer knew she wasn't gonna be able to say no. It was the glasses. It had to be those adorable glasses. They were kind of like her personal kryptonite. "Okay. Alright. I'll go. On one condition, though."

"What's that?" He looked at her wondering what her demand might be. Whatever it was he would do it. Nick wanted her to go with him and there wasn't a lot of things he wouldn't do to get her on that plane.

Sawyer hadn't really thought about what it was she was gonna say and tried to come up with something quick. "I...get to induct you into the mile high club." It was terrible but it was the only thing she could think of. Sawyer wasn't even a member of the club but had a fun time flirting with him.

He laughed and shook his head. "You've got a dirty mind, Sawyer." Nick rolled his eyes and kissed her anyway. He pulled away with his own comeback and flirtation. "And who says I'm not already a member?"

Her mouth fell open and she narrowed her eyes. It took Sawyer a minute to understand what he'd said. He wasn't...Nick Beasley couldn't be in the mile high club. She got a glimpse of those glasses and changed her mind until she saw him start to grin. "Oh, you're lying." She pushed her hands against his chest and laughed.

"You are too." He had a feeling she wasn't in the club either. She may have been the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on, and probably had a handful of ex boyfriends, but something about her told him she wasn't _that_ kind of girl. She had more class than that.

"Well actually, I didn't lie. I never said I was in it." Sawyer crossed her arms with a smile. "But you're right. I'm not."

"I didn't think so." He nodded and felt her kiss him. Nick pulled away and looked to her with a serious expression. "So what do you think? Wanna come to New Orleans?"

"I guess I can pencil it in." Sawyer acted like she was wracking her brain to fit it in her imaginary schedule and nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Sawyer and Nick spent the next half hour kissing and laughing about their impromptu trip. His wasn't so impromptu but hers was. She'd woken up the next morning to throw a few things in a carry-on bag while Nick called the airline to get another ticket. They took his car to the airport and made it through security without any problems. The flight had been uneventful but they landed in Louisiana with a heat wave Sawyer could feel through the plane.

The first thing they did was drop off the things for work Nick needed to do and then the day was theirs. They could do whatever they wanted and whatever they pleased. Settling on a late lunch first, the duo made their way through Cajun spiced food and then started strolling along the famous French Quarter.

Sawyer could feel the sweat that was pooling on her skin and was pretty sure that she was gonna have a spot on her back from the scorching summer heat. They were walking off their crab claws and corn, and Sawyer looked to the guy next to her. "Thanks for lunch."

She didn't need to thank him but he nodded. "Well what do you want to do next?"

In all her travels for Red Bedroom or for pleasure Sawyer had never been to the Big Easy. She wasn't sure what they should do and looked to Nick. "You've been here before. What do we do next?"

Shaking his head with a laugh, Nick turned to Sawyer. "I still can't believe you've never been here." They walked in the direction of music and saw a crowd forming around a street corner. "I mean all this rich music history down here, and you've never been. This should be one of the ultimate stops for any music connoisseur."

Hearing the saxophone from the street corner band, Sawyer shrugged, "It's a different genre than what we do."

They got closer to the music and Nick looked at his girlfriend. "Well tell me you've been to Nashville, though? Memphis, L.A. New York...?"

Nodding, Sawyer smiled. "I have. Memphis wasn't for business but I've been. New York has some great little venues. L.A. is good too but I kinda ruined the experience."

Wincing, Nick slipped his hand over hers as they got closer to the group of people listening to the old man jamming on his sax. "Didn't sign a band?"

"Uh...no. I signed a band." Sawyer had memories of her past fly at her and she shook her head. Did she tell him about Dillon? Was he supposed to know about her cheating past? They'd been together a while now and she knew she better tell him sooner than later. He at least deserved that much. "I actually did something I'm not so proud off."

Nick felt her hand break away from his own and he looked at her with a furrowed brow. "And what was so bad?"

Sawyer took a deep breath, "Well while I was out there I ran into my ex-boyfriend from college." Sawyer wasn't exactly a fan of reliving her past but she was laying in on the table now. "So...I ended up cheating on my then boyfriend and it was...a mess."

"The ex-boyfriend that comes to see Trout?" Nick thought he knew of the ex she was talking about. His name was Ben or something like that? They hadn't met but from what he'd gathered, Nick assumed her ex had been a decent guy. Trout hadn't gotten any visitors since he'd been around, but Nick figured he'd meet the guy at some point.

"Yeah." Sawyer felt a little bit of a twinge in her heart for re-hashing what she'd done. It had to be her biggest regret to date. Looking up to Nick, she knew it wasn't too bad though. If anything it helped her find him. "So...does that...how does that change things?" Her revelation probably wasn't going to go unnoticed.

Nick looked to Sawyer and shook his head. "Change things? Sawyer it doesn't change anything." He glanced toward the brass player and back to Sawyer. "I think it was kind of brave for you to tell me. I respect that you told me." He shrugged and slipped his hand back over hers. "I'm not someone who dwells on the past or picks out someone's mistakes or faults. That's just not me." His dark eyes looked to her blue ones and he tried to tell her that it wasn't something that was going to change the way he felt.

His reaction had meant everything and Sawyer felt a lot better. A weight was off her chest and she glanced to Nick thinking she really had found a good guy.

On the other side of the street, Sawyer saw a oddly decorated shop and knew if her past was out of the picture why not get a glimpse into the future? The little shop had a crooked sign, _Madam Marie Celeste_, and Sawyer could see the crystal ball etched into the old wood.

Pulling Nick across the street, Sawyer smiled, "Come on."

Seeing where she was taking him, Nick laughed and shook his head. "Sawyer they just want our money."

"Maybe, but aren't you a little interested in what they might say?"

"No." He laughed again but knew she was gonna take them in the shop. "These people are crazy."

Sawyer shrugged, "It might be fun to see what she says."

Nick knew that Sawyer was gonna drag him in there no matter what, so he followed her into the store that reeked of about one thousand different burning incenses. A bell rang out as the door opened and closed, and Nick was convinced they were going to be ripped off of whatever money Sawyer spent.

"Hello?" Sawyer liked the vibe of this place. Sure, it was a little spooky, but it was also a little intriguing. She wouldn't want to be in there alone but with Nick by her side she didn't feel so vulnerable.

"Accueillons. Accueillons." An old woman who looked about one hundred walked from the back of the store with an eery smile. Her dialect was thick and Sawyer just smiled not knowing the Cajun language. In a language they did know, the woman approached Sawyer and Nick. "Welcome."

Knowing that word, Sawyer smiled. "Hi. We saw the sign out there. Do you read fortunes?"

"Palm and cards. Pick ya' poison." The old woman had glasses on and nudged them up the bridge of her nose.

"Well how much does it cost?" Sawyer wanted to know if she would leave cashless or get a decent deal for a reading.

"Twenty for one. Thirty for the two of you."

Nick looked at Sawyer and shook his head. "You just get yours done. I'm fine."

"Alright, well just one of us." Sawyer looked around the spooky shop and figured she might as well take a chance with her own palms than some cards that might not mean anything. "I'll do a palm reading."

"Very well." The woman pointed at a table and two chairs. "S'il vous plait. Sit, sit."

Sawyer got a little nervous but then remembered what Nick was saying. This lady was probably crazy. She was older than dirt and whatever she said was purely for entertainment. She would hardly be able to tell Sawyer what was in store for her.

Nick watched Sawyer sit down and was interested to see what the old woman had to say. He stood behind his girlfriend and watched the old lady take Sawyer's hand.

"Ah..."

Sawyer's eyes got wide at the lady's exclamation and looked to Nick with a grin. "I hope that was a good thing."

"You like music, child?"

"Yeah, I do. I love it." Sawyer nodded and was impressed the woman got that. She was expecting the next few things the lady rattled off to be about her lines on her hand but apparently the woman didn't do that.

Sawyer's hand was warm against the old woman's wrinkles and the shop owner smiled. "J. A man whose name starts with J will bring you great happiness. Success, too."

Looking to her boyfriend, Sawyer furrowed her brow. "Don't you mean N. His name is Nick so..."

"No, No, it's J. I can feel it. You know it too." The old woman's eyes caught Sawyer's and she nodded. "Then there's the number two. Two is an important number."

Two? Sawyer tried to figure out the meaning but could only make vague connections. "My dad wore the number twenty _two_ in high school at some point..."

"No, no...no basketball. Something else."

Two cars, two houses, two dogs, two grammy awards; two what? There were tons of things that could mean two.

Glancing at Sawyer's palm the woman looked to Sawyer with a nervous shake of her head. "A storms on the horizon." The older woman patted her other hand against her chest, "La guerre des deux coeurs."

Glancing out the window, Sawyer saw clear blue skies and didn't see any storm on her horizon. "Looks sunny today."

"It's coming, child. Storms stirring up something nasty." The old woman patted her chest again and shook her head. "Choisir judicieusement."

Sawyer never took French and certainly didn't understand the creole mixed in, but it couldn't be anything too bad. At least she hoped not.

"Good fortune for you, child. Tout va continuer à bien aller." The old woman took the twenty dollar bill that Sawyer had put on the table and got up to go leave the two twenty-somethings to themselves.

"That's it?" Sawyer looked around and noticed that the old woman disappeared in the store and looked to the empty chair across form her.

Nick laughed and walked Sawyer out of the store. "See. I told you she was crazy."

Knowing he was right, Sawyer laughed as they felt the July heat when they walked outside. "Well I didn't understand most of what came out of her mouth except something about a guy whose name starts with a J, the number two, and a storm." She thought about it for a second and laughed. "I think Jamie is the only guy I know whose names starts with a J and I _highly_ doubt he's gonna bring me happiness or success."

"I wouldn't worry about what she said." Nick didn't hold much stock in fortune tellers and walked away from the store with his girlfriend by his side.

Sawyer was starting to think the lady scammed her out of twenty bucks because she didn't believe any of it either. Right now she was more interested in Nick, and she put her hand around his back with a smile. "Well even if she was wrong about it all...it was still kinda cool to have that done."

"If you say so." Nick laughed and put his arm around her while they walked toward their next destination. Even if that lady had been right, Nick didn't see himself leaving the picture anytime soon. If there was a storm on her horizon he would hold Sawyer's umbrella. If she got two of something maybe she'd split it with him? Whoever this mysterious J person was didn't seem that important. The lady didn't say Sawyer would love him, just something about success and happiness. And that was the important part. If anybody was gonna love Sawyer Nick felt like it should be him. Five months of her addicting personality, smile, and laugh, and Nick Beasley was hooked.

Sawyer felt the July breeze run through her hair and she leaned into Nick enjoying their Louisiana afternoon. That old woman could have been blowing smoke up her butt but it didn't really matter. Sawyer was already starting to see where her future was headed, and that cute accountant with glasses had something to do with it. If she'd gotten tarot cards read she probably would have seen a picture of him on the top of the pile.

Fortune teller or not, Sawyer already had a pretty good idea about where things were going. She knew how she felt about Nick Beasley. That old woman hadn't told her who she was gonna love, but Sawyer thought she already knew who it would be. The nerdy dork with a sweet sense of humor and an attitude that surprised her from time to time; Nick might be that guy. It would take just a little more time for her to figure it out. Sawyer could see herself loving him, though. Hell, maybe she already did?

**OTHOTH**

**There you go guys. So many questions to ponder after this one: is the Scott curse for real; what about what that crazy old New Orleans lady had to say, and what did that French/Cajun stuff mean; who is this J person? What does two mean; Is the storm she's talking about the one Mother Nature is gonna drop on Tree Hill or is it something else? Of course...we'll be finding out the answers to these questions later and if that lady actually knew what in the world she was talking about or if she made it all up. I was supposed to include the section on Nick meeting the Scotts but when I saw that this thing was past 9000 words I opted to cut it. I'll quickly throw that into the first section of next chapter and move right into the hurricane mess. I think most of you are excited about that one. As am I! **

**My reviewers, you guys are by far the most awesome people...ever! Thanks so much for the support. You all know I wouldn't be doing this without you! Keep it up!**

**Aloyalfan: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like Nick!**

**Joan: I think I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to the Sawyer/Nick/Ben saga. It's hard when you like both of the guys, lol. Your guess about Lucas' book is a very good guess. I will say that "in the" are included in title, so its Blank-blank-in-the-blank. Maybe you can think about it some more now. And thanks for the encouragement to do more LMs. Before I start anything new I wanna focus on my current stories, get them all finished and then think about what I write next. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Anon: Haha, well I guess it's a good thing that you liked Nick so much that you forgot about Ben and the napkin until I mentioned sushi guy. I think your stumped-ness will ease off as the next few chapters are updated. I can add that Lucas' book will be of MAJOR importance...but not necessary in the way you may think, LOL. **

**2old4oth: I don't think you are alone in thinking that Nick is nice and all but that Ben may come back and Ben sushi guy. At this point anything is a possibility. I'm glad you liked the bit about Sawyer's reaction to Charlotte's miscarriage. I knew I wanted to include that and I'm happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review!**

**Anonymoususer: Thanks so much for the compliments about the story and entire franchise! I'm happy you could see that Sawyer is a good person underneath her coat of snark and sarcasm after she went to see Charlotte and Graham after the miscarriage. The end of Luke's novel will have a happy ending but he will finish it before her actual story is over. I'm glad you like Nick too, and I'm glad you are a fan of baseball. I love baseball (most sports) and am always happy to throw them in from time to time. Not to mention it does, like you said, show Sawyer's sporty side. It's nice to know you picked up on the different chemistry that Sawyer and Nick have, and I'm happy you like that Nick can cook. I appreciate the feedback!**

**Review Please!**


	12. Full Force Gale

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter: Full Force Gale**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Nothing related to the show is mine. Thumbs up and a review for my creativity though.**

**A/N: Uh...well, this wasn't supposed to be updated so soon but I was on a tear thanks to a certain awesomely awesome new Gavin DeGraw song. "Soldier" has been stuck in my head since Tuesday. Had I not had two test yesterday this chapter would have been up sooner. No lie. The song is _that_ good. Don't hate me Charlotte or LM readers, your update is coming. I just couldn't stop writing this once I started. So here we go, guys! Stormy weather is on the horizon and I'm not _just_ talking about the hurricane. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The grocery store was never a place Sawyer liked to shop. It wasn't her least favorite, but it certainly wasn't her favorite either. It was always full of determined moms and women armed with lists and coupons, guys who stood in the middle of the aisles being indecisive about their loaf of bread, and Sawyer wasn't one to dwell on that kind of thing. Most trips she was in and out in a quick minute. This was not one of those trips.

Full of anxious and nervous Tree Hillers, the grocery store was packed to the brim. Sawyer had to push through the lines of people waiting to check-out to grab what she needed and she was baffled by the amount of people in the store. Apparently they were taking this hurricane thing pretty seriously. Left and right, people were stocking up on bottled water, non-perishables, batteries, and other things they might need in a crisis situation.

Hurricane Lucile was a monster headed toward the quaint city that sat between the Cape and the coast, and the residents weren't taking things lightly. Widespread damage was expected with the growing category four storm. Lucile was gaining power and lowering pressure with each mile she crossed over the Atlantic and wasn't worried about anyone in her path. Headed for the North Carolina coast, this massive storm was supposed to hit the mainland in just about two days, and it wasn't anything to kid about. Lucile was bringing wind speeds that could topple the strongest of oaks, demolish any structure in its path, and the surge had the power to drown the very town that Sawyer and her entire family called home.

That didn't mean the sarcastic blonde was worried, though. She'd been living in Tree Hill her whole life, and there were only a handful of occasions where hurricanes had gotten really bad. The most significant occurred when she was too little to remember though, so she didn't have a lot to base this prediction off of. Twenty eight years and all the warnings and hurricane predictions she'd ever known had only ended up simply being precautionary measures. The meteorologists got things wrong most of the time in the past, so Sawyer wasn't expecting much when it came to Lucile. The music producer figured the storm would turn further east into the Atlantic like most hurricanes did. Besides, wasn't it a little late in the season for a big time storm? It was early October and hurricane season had been pretty tame so far. Those churning waters were freaking everyone out but Sawyer was calling Lucile's bluff.

Taking a turn towards the refrigerated section, Sawyer eyed a carton of eggs. She wasn't stocking up on anything she'd need in the coming days. Not water bottles, no canned goods. She was getting eggs. Eggs because Nick was making breakfast.

Her boyfriend of eight months was headed out of town this afternoon, but they were spending the rest of the time he had left in Tree Hill together. He was gonna be flying to Denver for work but first up, breakfast. Nick was going all out. He knew that Sawyer was leaving town to brace for the storm after he left, so he was raiding her kitchen to make a breakfast that could give them their days fill. Might as well, too. With the probability of losing power they might as well take advantage of what she had in her fridge so it wouldn't all go to waste. French toast, bacon; you name it, he was making it.

She'd been short a few eggs though. So that's what Sawyer was doing now. While he was busy prepping their meal, Sawyer hopped in her spunky car and zipped to the store to grab what they needed.

But she hadn't expected the lines.

There had to be at least seven people in each line with carts full of things. Sawyer eyed them eggs in hand with a squint. Did the store seriously not have a twenty items or less line? Glancing down the rows of check-out lanes, Sawyer realized that was a big fat no, so she got in the one that looked like it would take the least amount of time. Pulling out her phone, Sawyer laughed as she texted Nick. _Lines suck. _That was all she needed to say for him to get the picture.

Waiting, Sawyer eyed the tabloid magazines that had pictures of celebrities without their make-up and laughed when she saw another one about an alien baby found in a rabbit hole Where or how people came up with this stuff, she never knew.

Her phone started to buzz and she thought it might be Nick calling to keep her company while she waited, but it wasn't. Her mom's number popped up on her phone. Why did moms have to worry so much? Sawyer didn't have the maternal knowledge to understand that you would always worry about your children, and sighed with a smile as she answered. "Hello?"

"We're headed out of town so I thought I'd check in. You're leaving with Charlotte, right? In the morning?" Peyton was the in the passenger side of Luke's Mustang looking at the side view mirror watching Tree Hill fade away behind her. She and Lucas were on their way out of town away from the wind and rain.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Sawyer..." Peyton took a deep breath knowing that her oldest was stubborn about these kinds of things. There shouldn't have been a 'think' in that sentence. It should have sounded more like a solid 'yes'. "It's gonna get bad, so just go with Charlotte."

Not convinced, Sawyer picked a magazine and skimmed through the pages while she spoke to her mom. "They're always wrong about these things, you know."

Not surprised by Sawyer's defiance, Peyton shook her head."You don't want to tempt fate, kid."

Sawyer arched her brow with a laugh. "You know me, Mom. I'd put up a pretty good fight."

Lucas looked to Peyton and held his hand out for the phone. Peyton handed him her cell phone and he squinted as he spoke. "Just be careful, Sawyer."

Hearing her dad's voice made things a little more realistic. She could hear the worry in his tone and the sweetness in his sentence. Clutching the eggs, Sawyer nodded. "I will." That bit had been serious so she couldn't help but add in her own personality. "I _always_ am."

Smiling, Lucas wasn't so sure about that. Of their two children Sawyer had always caused the most drama. It was just her nature, though. He glanced out the window and back to the black top headed out of town. "We'll see you soon."

"Yeah." Sawyer nodded and smiled. "See you soon."

The father and daughter duo said their goodbyes and Sawyer couldn't help but think about her parents. More specifically about her parents and Nick. These days he seemed to be the only thing she was thinking about. His glasses, his smile, the way he managed those debits and credits. He was exactly the kind of guy she needed. Looking down at the eggs in her hand, Sawyer knew Nick was the guy who would be cooking breakfast for her for years and years to come. She'd even let her family finally meet him.

Last month he'd taken them to one of the nicest restaurants in town, and while Sawyer was nervous about the meet and greet, she walked away from that night knowing her family saw the same kinds of things in Nick she did. All of them found something good in North Carolina born Nick Beasley. Bridget and Nick talked food. Peyton adored the fact that he knew all about the fabulous Mr. Costello. Lucas liked the fact that he was kind and caring, educated and gentile. Something about the way he carried himself seemed to blend well with Sawyer's feisty personality. Keith was surprised that Nick couldn't handle a manual transmission, but he could tell Sawyer really liked him. Of the four Scotts who met Sawyer's favorite accountant, Keith was probably the least impressed. He wasn't really the kind of guy Sawyer went for. Nick didn't play any instruments or have a tattoo, and Keith never thought of Sawyer with anyone but that. But like she'd told him the day he got married, some things change. Maybe his big sister had found the person she'd always been looking for?

Sawyer was starting to think she had. In fact, she was pretty sure.

"Ma'am?" The middle-aged clerk smiled at Sawyer. "Let me scan that for you."

"Right, sorry." Sawyer laughed off her daze and let the Food Lion employee ring her up. After paying and maneuvering out of traffic, Sawyer was headed home.

The dark clouds on the horizon looked like they could drown even the most advanced swimmer. They were in for some rain, and Sawyer was hoping her old Volkswagen could push through the wear and tear Lucile's bands brought Tree Hill's way. If anything happened to that car it would be a cold day in Hell.

Little did she know that her car would be the last thing she needed to worry about.

Stopped at a red light, Sawyer glanced at the clock when she saw a caravan of white Coast Guard vehicles pass her. It was just before nine thirty a.m. but Coasties were already hard at work. All kinds of emergency personnel were. While Sawyer wasn't exactly sure how serious things were gonna get, she had to admire their work.

The light turned green and Sawyer turned toward her house. Her two favorite guys, Nick and Trout, were waiting on her when she walked through the door. The speakers were singing a soft tune through the home. David Ford's voice was somber and mellow; perfect for the weather outside.

Nick was standing over the sink and smiled at Sawyer when she walked up next to him."I didn't even think about the lines, sorry."

"I survived." Sawyer smirked and looked around the kitchen. "So what's next? Anything I can do that won't contaminate our food?"

Laughing, Nick wiped his hands with a towel. "How about cracking the eggs?"

"I _think_ I can handle that." Sawyer looked to her boyfriend with a pondering face.

He arched his brow and took a step closer to her with a grin. "You _think_ you can?" Over the course of their relationship, Nick knew that Sawyer had picked up a few tips and trades of perfecting her cooking skills, and he'd done a pretty good job helping her so far. Sawyer had become a master egg cracker.

Those glasses were getting dangerously close to her face and Sawyer couldn't help but smile. "Well someone's been teaching me all the tricks."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah." Her smile got wider when his question buzzed against her cheek. Sawyer felt his lips on her skin and pulled away playfully. "Bridget's been doing a great job." She looked to him and saw the joke setting in on his face when he started to grin shaking his head. Putting her arms around his waist, Sawyer shrugged, "But you're not so bad, either."

Nick kissed her and loved the fact that they could joke about things like this. They didn't always have to be so serious about things, which a nice change for him. His job always kept him worried about numbers and balances, but he enjoyed letting all that go when he was with her. She made each day exciting and less monotonous.

Sawyer moved over to grab a few things to crack the eggs and Nick walked to the stove to check on the food that was heating up. Things were going well on that front and he couldn't help but watch as Sawyer broke the eggs. She wasn't the most graceful of cooks but watching her try was somehow endearing.

Nick crossed his arms and watched her finish up glancing out the window. He knew a storm was on its way. The forecasters were calling for something catastrophic, and he hated that he was leaving in a few hours for Colorado. If he had a choice he'd stay with Sawyer. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but it didn't mean he didn't want to be with her. At least she'd be with somebody though. It was a bit relieving knowing that she would be headed out of town with Charlotte.

"So how bad were people freaking out about the storm at the store?"

Tossing the broken shells in the trash, Sawyer laughed, "Like it's some apocalyptic event."

"In that case maybe my flight will be canceled?"

That would be ideal but Sawyer knew they weren't in for the nasty stuff for another day or two. Flights may be a little delayed due to rain, but she knew Nick would be in the air sometime today. "We can hope." She washed her hands and looked to her boyfriend with a hopeful smile.

Nick caught her smile and raised his shoulder as he spoke. "The people on TV seem to think it's gonna get bad. Who knows, maybe so?"

Sawyer dried off her hands and glanced out the front window."And here comes the pessimist patrol as we speak." Sawyer saw a figure in blue walking towards her house. It must have been a police officer or someone telling her evacuation routes and whatnot. Headed for the door, Sawyer opened it before the officer could knock, and her heart jumped into her throat. "Ben?"

"Hey." The blue eyed Coastie looked the same and had a grin that could kill. His uniform looked good but that wasn't anything new. His name tag above his breast pocket changed, though. He had a new rank but for the most part he was still the same Ben Trammel he always had been.

"What are you doing here?" Sawyer had been thrown for a loop, and it was a question of multiple meanings. One, why was he at her doorstep? Two, why was he in Tree Hill?" It had been a while since she'd seen him. He'd come to town in April when Hattie was born, but they'd only briefly seen each other at the hospital. And that run in was expected and planned, this one wasn't. Wasn't he supposed to be in Texas?

"Here." Ben held out a piece of paper and watched Sawyer take it. It was exactly what she thought she'd get; evacuation routes and a list of things people would need to include in their hurricane kits. "The governor is probably gonna issue a mandatory evacuation for this area sometime this afternoon so..." Ben had been nothing but professional as he talked to his ex-girlfriend, and then he saw a guy with glasses walk up behind Sawyer.

Nick smiled at the man in uniform. "So things are gonna get bad, huh?" He looked at the piece of paper Sawyer was holding.

"Uh...yeah. They think so." Ben watched Nick step closer to Sawyer and the pieces were falling together. He must have been Sawyer's new boyfriend. Graham had mentioned him a few times, Charlotte, too, but this guy wasn't anything like Ben had thought or assumed.. From looks alone this guy didn't seem like Sawyer's type at all.

Trout pranced toward the door and when he saw someone familiar he tried to charge the guy in blue with an excited bark.

Catching Trout by the collar, Nick held back the dog. "Whoa, boy."

"No, it's okay. Let him go." Sawyer was standing in her doorway and could see the change in Ben's expression when he saw Nick grab Trout. She turned to her boyfriend and put her hand on his side. "It's fine."

When Trout was free from Nick's grip, the golden retriever bound out the door and towards Ben with a yelp of utter joy. It didn't matter how much time had passed. Trout would always know and always love Ben.

"Hey, boy." Ben bent down and patted Trout with a cute smile. "Hey, Trout." He felt a slimy tongue slide against the underside of his chin and the Coastie laughed.

Nick could instantly see that this wasn't a stranger. The guy's name tag read _Lt. Trammell_. That was Sawyer's ex's last name, wasn't it? It had to be. Trout didn't come around to just anybody. Nick knew that. It took him a few meet and greets to get in the dog's good graces. This Coastie seemed like a long lost friend of Trout's.

It had to be him, so Nick stepped to the side of Sawyer and watched Ben stand back up. "Nick Beasley." Sawyer's boyfriend held out his hand toward her ex.

Ben hadn't expected to actually meet the guy. He thought it would fall into assumptions but he was wrong. Shaking Nick's hand, Ben nodded, "Ben Trammell."

"Sorry about holding Trout back. I didn't realize..."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Ben looked at the dog and scratched Trout's head. "He get's kinda wound up sometimes." That wasn't entirely true but Ben just said it for conversation matters.

Sawyer was standing in her doorway with Nick just beside her and Ben in front of her. This was awkward. Never in a million years had she thought they'd actually meet, much less like this. She felt Nick slip his hand around her waist and Sawyer wondered if it was some masculine territory thing. Was he staking his claim? Did he see Ben as a threat? Did he know who Ben was? Either way he didn't need to. Ben was her past. Nick was her future.

Ben looked up to the snarky blonde he'd fallen for years ago and took a deep breath. She was obviously doing just fine, and it was good to know. He'd always wanted the best for her. Maybe this Nick character was the person she needed. He pointed at the piece of paper Sawyer was holding, "Just, uh...look over that stuff, alright?" He patted Trout on his side and snapped with a point, "Inside, boy. Back." The Tennessee born Coastie watched the dog head inside and Ben turned to walk away.

Trout listened to Ben as he always had and walked back into the house while Nick followed him. The accountant moved away from Sawyer, "I'm gonna check the oven."

"Yeah." Sawyer was still looking at Ben but nodded. Her ex was cutting across the yard to go to her neighbors. Nick and Trout went towards the kitchen but Sawyer's footsteps headed the opposite way. "Ben?"

Turning around, Ben stopped and watched her walk close to him. "Yeah?"

She wasn't sure why she'd walked out of the house and fumbled to start whatever conversation she wanted to have. "So..wh...what are you doing here? Why aren't you in Texas?"

Shrugging, Ben answered, "They asked for volunteers who were in states that weren't gonna be affected."

"And you came?" Something about him being here was honorable in the most Ben Trammel-like way.

"Yeah. Graham has to stay and I think it's gonna help Charlotte. You know, knowing that I'm here while she can't be."

Right. Charlotte and Graham were his reasons for coming. That made sense. Sawyer knew Charlotte was having a hard time with the idea that as a wife of a Coastie she and her new baby were gonna be ushered out of town by the Coast Guard while her husband was obligated to stay. It was in his job description but it kind of sucked. Charlotte was the worrying kind. The kind who lost sleep over the idea of the potential danger this storm might put Graham in. It was good that Ben was back in town for them.

Nodding, Sawyer appreciated what he was doing for their friends. "That was nice of you."

Ben didn't want thanks or praise. It was just how he worked. Sticking his hands in his pockets. "I was over there yesterday. Charlotte said you're leaving town with her later?"

Glancing toward the sky, Sawyer laughed at the less than scary looking clouds. "Yeah, something like that."

He could already tell she was doubting the power of this hurricane. Shaking his head, he looked into blue eyes he'd woken up next to years ago. "Sawyer you need to leave." Ben's tone was cautious and he nodded. "I don't think they're kidding around with this one."

Crossing her arms with a smile, Sawyer grinned. "That's what everyone keeps saying. But I'm calling it. I bet it's gonna turn."

He shook his head again. Why did she have to be so stubborn? "You're not always right, you know."

"Only _most_ of the time." Sawyer shrugged and started to smirk.

Walking away, Ben caught the twenty-eight year old's eye again. "Just be careful, alright?"

Sawyer suddenly felt like Ben had teamed up with Lucas. They both had the same tone and it was a little disconcerting hearing him say that. Not because he wanted her to be safe, that was sweet, but more so the sound of his voice and the meaning behind it.

Ben disappeared behind the bushes and Sawyer stood on the grass that was soft and saturated. His sudden reappearance seemed out of the blue, but Sawyer couldn't deny the fact that she liked seeing him. It wasn't anything special or significant but it was nice to see a familiar face from time to time. For the sake of Trout, at least.

"Hey?" Nick was standing in the doorway with a plate in his hands. "You coming?"

Nodding, Sawyer smiled and walked back into the house. As she passed Nick, she had remembered how short he was compared to Ben. Nick was probably around six feet but Ben was a lofty six foot four. Not that their height really mattered, it was just something Sawyer noticed.

She grabbed a plate and eyed all the good breakfast food Nick had prepared. "This looks..." She laughed at the amount of food and turned to her boyfriend. "...so good."

"Eggs need a little pepper." He got up from where he was sitting at the table and walked to the counter.

Sawyer was plating her piece of french toast, and Nick brushed his arm against hers when he reached for the spice. It was quiet between the two of them but Sawyer was about to butt in. While she'd been caught off guard with Ben's sudden re-appearance, she felt more about Nick now than she had ever. He was dorky. He couldn't drive her car to save his life. He traveled all the time and he wasn't exactly Mr. Brawny, but none of that mattered. Reaching for a couple pieces of bacon, Sawyer set them on her plate turning toward her guy with glasses. "I love you."

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer didn't know if he would say it back. Hopefully he did. Nick seemed shy about this kind of thing but it felt right. It felt good. She felt good saying it out loud.

Nick was dusting his eggs with a sprinkle of pepper when he heard her. He felt his heart start to pound because this was a very good thing. She loved him? According to the words out her mouth and he liked the way it sounded. Nick put the pepper down, and with a fluid motion turned to her with a smile and a kiss. "I love you, too."

It was that simple. Easy as pie. Easy as breakfast. They sat down across from each other at the kitchen table with a cute stare. Sawyer's cheeks had turned a shade of soft pink and Nick was chewing on a piece of bacon with a smile. The quiet accountant who wore sexy glasses and could cook loved the girl with a personality that needed taming from time to time, hair that was a tangled mess, and who had a good heart underneath the mask of musical know-how and knowledge. Their simple morning was comfortable and both of them could see this being a long time thing. Isn't that what love was all about?

This new revelation was a change of tide, but what neither of them knew was that it would bring more than just that. Hurricane Lucile was hot on their tracks and she didn't seem like the kind to make exceptions for love. She was the storm they'd have to weather, brace for and hopefully pick up the pieces in its aftermath. Mother Nature's rotating sneeze was bringing a storm that would do more damage than good. Physical damage? Sure, of course. Emotional damage? Yep. And what about the kind of damage that was irreconcilable? Absolutely. To whom, how, and why would these damages would occur? That was left up for question.

But one thing was certain. Lucile was out to get someone. And that someone, was Sawyer. The mean old witch with one eye in the sky was barreling straight for the snarky music lover. Lucile was going to to shake things up and give Sawyer a nice dose of reality, a smack in the face, and a splitting headache with confusion that would leave her with more questions than she had answers.

Sawyer didn't know it yet, but over the next few days things were going to happen that would permanently shape her life as she knew it now and how it would be. Certain things would stay the same, but some things were bound to change.

The pitter-patter against the widow caused both Nick and Sawyer to turn towards the front of the house. They watched the water splash against the glass and Nick wiped his mouth with a smile. "Sure you don't wanna come to Denver with me?"

Sawyer shook her head with a grin, "It's just a little rain. I'm not gonna melt."

That may be the case now, but Sawyer better not hold her breath. Things were about to get a little dicey.

**OTHOTH**

Rubber wheels on wet pavement were hazards to even the best of drivers. Sawyer had skills that matched professionals but even she was getting a little eery of the road conditions. The rain they'd seen this morning hadn't stopped and was only pounding against the soppy ground harder and more furious. Lucile wasn't even supposed to impact the coast yet but some competing system was dropping water on Tree Hill like it needed a bath one million times over.

Gripping the steering wheel, Sawyer felt the tires glide across the road. She was almost positive that they'd just hydroplaned. The feeling sent an excited rush of nerves up her spine. Something about this weather was both thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

More nervous than excited, Nick clutched the side of the passenger door with white knuckles. Hopefully the plane ride would be less intimidating.

They were on their way to the airport but as the weather worsened neither of them were sure if Nick would get to Denver. As they pulled up to the airport, Sawyer parked turning off the ignition. She glanced toward the sky and the falling sheets of rain that splashed against the ground. "I'll wait out here til you see about your flight."

"Alright." Nick turned to the small space behind them and got his suitcase. Sawyer ducked while he pulled it to the front seat. He looked to the girl next to him. "If I go, be careful. Call me when you get to Raleigh."

Nodding, Sawyer leaned to kiss him. "I will."

"I love you." Nick pulled away from her and smiled. It was still a new saying they were getting used to.

Sawyer couldn't help but kiss Nick again and said it back to him. "I love you, too."

Opening up the car door, the sound of rain muffled anything else that the two might have wanted to say to each other. Sawyer watched Nick run towards the doors of the airport and looked out of the front window with a somber feeling in her gut. It would be kind of nice if he came running back telling her his flight was canceled.

He didn't though. A few minutes later Sawyer heard her phone buzz. His plane was still scheduled to take off. Westward bound, Nick would be out of harms way as Lucile slammed against North Carolina.

Sawyer drove back home and spent the majority of the afternoon being lazy. She'd been flipping through the channels and couldn't help but point at the meteorologist on the screen. "See I told you." They were showing how the storm was weakening. Lucile was still going to be dangerous, potentially even deadly but she was starting to breakdown. But even so, Sawyer still found herself doing what she was supposed to. She was packing.

Her phone started to ring and she answered with a smile. "What's up, Mama Mac?"

Charlotte laughed at Sawyer's happy-go-lucky attitude. "Just calling to see what our plan for tomorrow is."

"Well...I figured I'd let you leave when you want. I know traveling with Hattie is gonna add and hour or two to the trip, so I'll leave here about noon." Sawyer glanced at her television and put her hand on her hip, "But you know they're saying it's weakening."

"But there's still a mandatory evacuation order."

Sawyer laughed. "It's only mandatory because it sounds good in front of evacuation. They can't really _make_ any of us leave." She tossed a shirt in her bag and shrugged, "But I'm leaving _anyway_."

"Good. So you know where to go and everything?"

"Yeah. You told me the hotel. I know how to get to Raleigh. I'm almost packed. I think I'm ready." Sawyer looked around her house and nodded. "And oh, did you just forget to mention to me that Ben's in town? He definitely came over and definitely met Nick."

"It totally slipped my mind." Charlotte winced because she probably should have called Sawyer about that. "Sorry."

"Ok, new-mom amnesia, I'll let that one slip, but a little notice next time, please!" Sawyer laughed. "It was so...awkward."

"Really?"

Sawyer sat down on her bed. "Well...yeah. Trout got involved and it was just...I don't know."

"I'm glad he's here, though. I feel better about leaving knowing that he's here with Graham."

Smiling, the older Scott nodded, "I knew you would." Rubbing on her golden retriever's head, Sawyer looked outside. "So what's Graham's plan? What does he have to do tomorrow?"

"He doesn't really know. I think they'll just play it by ear. He could be in the helicopter, on the streets...I really think it just depends."

"Gotcha. Well I'm sure he's gonna be fine."

"Hope so." Charlotte nodded and heard her little one start to cry. "That's Hattie, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, bye."

The blonde spent the rest of the day doing a whole lot of nothing. She never realized how addicting watching the weather could be. Those meteorologist always made things so dramatic and it was quite entertaining.

Darkness fell over Tree Hill and every once in a while Sawyer would hear the wind howl outside. It wasn't threatening or anything to worry about. It was actually kind of nice. It lulled her to bed and the next morning she woke up to a bright blue sky.

Glancing out of the window, Sawyer thought she may have slept through the whole thing. Maybe Lucile had already come and gone? She checked the date realizing it hadn't, but this blue sky was kind of puzzling.

Turning on the television, Sawyer glanced at the radar and could see that Lucille's path had shifted a bit. Tree Hill was no longer on the chopping block. A direct eye wall hit wasn't gonna happen, and right now those blue skies were just a break in the bands.

Sawyer was seriously re-thinking this dumb evacuation thing, though. It didn't look too bad. Even the weather guys were more focused on cities north of Tree Hill. Wouldn't it be kinda crowded with Charlotte anyway? Two dogs, two women, one baby. That was a lot. If she stayed she'd probably end up doing Charlotte a favor.

While her bag may have been packed, Sawyer's mind was already made up. She wasn't going anywhere. This hurricane seemed more like a good joke rather than a serious threat.

About four hours later, Sawyer was starting to re-think her decision.

It was one in the afternoon and the light skies darkened up again as the rain started to pound the house. Even if it had weakened, Lucille was just starting to show her ugly face. Before the cable went out Sawyer was able to find out that the surge wasn't going to be the biggest problem with this storm, it was the wind. Glancing, outside, Sawyer could see the trees swaying with the storm. The power started blinking and Sawyer was eyeing the front door like an emergency exit.

"Trout? Think we should head out of here?" The dog's eyes perked up and Sawyer nodded. "Me too." Just as she said that the power went out. Her little home got dark fast. "Alright...I think that was our sign." Hurrying to her bedroom, Sawyer grabbed her bag and got her keys. She opened the front door of the house only to see a mess outside. Looking to Trout, Sawyer nodded, "On three."

The twenty-eight year old counted and then ran towards her car as fast as she could. She could feel her shoes slosh through the muddy water on the walkway. Trout had to be getting dirty but at the moment she didn't care if they were both dirty and wet. Her car could be cleaned off. They just needed to get out of town. She opened up the passenger door first and tossed her bag in before Trout climbed on the leather seat. Running to the other side, Sawyer plopped down and heard the wet squish her clothes made as she sat.

Cranking the old engine, Sawyer waited for it to roar to life. When she turned it over there was nothing. "Oh come on!" Sawyer hit the steering wheel and tried again. Still nothing. Was it the battery? That seemed like the most normal thing. She checked to see if she'd left any switches on. She tried again but there was still no life coming from her car. "What the hell!" Sawyer couldn't find her car's fault and looked at her dog. "Change of plans."

Sawyer and Trout got out of the car and headed back inside. If they had to stay in Tree Hill, home would have to do.

Powerless, literally, and figuratively, Sawyer and Trout were gonna have to deal with Lucile whether they liked it or not. Sawyer had been dumb to stay and was now realizing it, but she didn't want to dwell on it. Lighting some candles, Sawyer eyed the record player. Even if the power was out at least they could have music. Her old record player worked on a crank and that was the beauty of vintage.

What to listen to, though? Going through her collection by candlelight, Sawyer pulled out three records and looked to Trout for a final opinion. "Which one? I'm thinking Zeppelin. 'Fool in the Rain' seems appropriate." The music wasn't as loud as she normally liked to listen to it, but considering her fancy-dancy speakers were electronic, she would just have to deal with the low volume. At least she had music.

Sawyer relaxed a little bit when she heard the song start to play. The lyrics made her smile because she couldn't help but think of Nick. _And the warmth of your smile starts a-burnin'. And the thrill of your touch gives me fright. And I'm shaking so much, really yearning. Why don't you show up, make it all right? _He could show up and then things would surly get better. The third verse, though. That made her think of an entirely different person. Ben. For some reason her mind was immediately fixated on him while the lyrics ran through her mind. _And if you promised you'd love so completely. And you said you would always be true. You swore that you would never leave me, baby: What ever happened to you? _Sawyer hadn't meant to think of Ben but it just happened. Just as the rest of the song made her think of herself. _The clock on the wall's moving slower. My heart it sinks to the ground. And the storm that I thought would blow over. Clouds the light of the love that I found. _

Pushing the needle off the record, Sawyer got up and walked toward the window. She looked outside and took a deep breath. That song gave her a funny feeling and suddenly all she could think about was that crazy lady from New Orleans. Had she been right? Was this storm that was raging outside the one Madam Celeste had been taking about, or was the feeling in her chest the one she meant? Sawyer didn't want to admit it but thanks in part to that song, Sawyer was starting realizing that she was dealing with something bigger than Lucile. There was so much more to this story.

Thinking about the mess in her head, Sawyer turned toward the record player and knew that Jimmy Page's name started with a J. Was that supposed to mean something, too, or was that a coincidence? Then she started thinking about other pieces that might fit in her future's puzzle. There was Jason, the cute guy from the bank who had a crush on her. He was a little young but his name started with a J. Or what about Justin, Neil's friend who tended bar from time to time? That was two guys whose names started with J. _Two_, her significant number she was still trying to figure out as well.

Her mind was going about one hundred miles an hour and so was the wind outside. Glancing at the tops of the violently swaying trees, Sawyer knew she needed to get away from the window. She'd been told that the best place to go if your house didn't have a basement was the bathroom, so that's where she was headed. The guest bedroom was more compact and seemed the safest so that's where she went.

Night time fell over Tree Hill and the wind whipped around Sawyer's little house in a violent manner, and Sawyer had never been so scared in her life. Mother Nature was definitely a bitch. The opinionated blonde didn't like things that were out of her hands and this was one of those situations.

She could hear branches fall and debris hitting the side of the house as she waited it out in the bathroom. She was really starting to kick herself for staying now. Nervously waiting out Lucile's wrath that was much more vicious than she expected, Sawyer sat on the edge of the tub biting at her nails. She wasn't even a nail biter but there was nothing else to do.

Instantly, Sawyer thought about her furry golden friend and opened the door. "Trout!" She looked out of the door but heard a sound that made her eyes pop with fear.

"Oh my God..." She could see the mammoth oak through the window and stumbled back into the bathroom. The tree was falling towards her house but only one thing ran through her mind. "Please don't hit my car, please don't hit my car!"

She heard the cracking sound first. The door swung closed but from the sound alone she had a pretty good idea what was happening on the other side of the door. The tree tore through the back half of the house and crushed everything in it's way. The only problem, Sawyer was in the back half of the house.

When the tree slammed into the house it virtually took out the entire guest bedroom, Charlotte's old room. The impact knocked Sawyer off her feet and everything on the bathroom wall had fallen. Sawyer was running off of adrenalin and was just hoping that a branch didn't impale her. A chunk of the roof was torn off, and a gush of nasty gutter of water poured down on Sawyer and the bathroom floor. She tried to cover herself with her arms but it was too much. She got soaked.

After the initial damage was done, Sawyer tried to collect her thoughts. A tree just fell...on her house. On her house in the bedroom that used to be Charlotte's. Sawyer was in the connecting bathroom and felt pretty damn lucky that she got away with only getting wet. The bathroom, aside from the gash in the ceiling was relatively intact.

Getting to her feet, Sawyer tried to push open the door but was unsuccessful. Something was blocking her in. She couldn't see it, but it was the tree that just crushed her house.

"Shit." Sawyer tried to kick on the door but she wasn't getting anywhere.

Realizing she was in a unfortunate position, Sawyer eyed the bathroom window and figured that was her only way out. The old frame was painted shut so she had to be creative in breaking it open. First she picked up a bottle of shampoo. She hurled it at the window but had little success. After a few more tosses of various bath items, Sawyer grabbed a full can of shaving cream. That would do the trick. Chunking it at the glass, Sawyer celebrated when it shattered. Her arm caught her attention though. A stream of red was running down her skin. "What the..." Sawyer raised her arm to her face. She hadn't even noticed she'd cut herself, and not only cut herself, but cut herself _badly_.

Glancing at the potential cause of her phantom cut, Sawyer noticed the shattered mirror scattered over the floor. It must have shattered when the falling tree shook the walls, and somehow a piece of glass must have sliced her forearm in a pretty significant way. Her gash was about four inches long and was bleeding non-stop.

Sawyer got a small hand towel to press against it and went back to seeing how she could get out. The broken window was her best bet but when she looked outside she saw it wasn't an option at all. Hanging just outside her exit, a black powerline was a cause for concern. If there was any kind of electrical current running through that thing, then one touch and she was toast.

Knowing that her options were limited, Sawyer was starting to understand the severity of her situation. She hurried to the door and started banging. "Help! Somebody! Help!" As Sawyer pounded on the door she noticed the blood soaked rag. Her arm was starting to hurt and the amount of blood she was loosing could not have been healthy. But forget about her arm, she wanted to get out! "Somebody!" Resting her head against the door, Sawyer was really kicking herself for staying in Tree Hill now. There had been a mandatory evacuation. No one was there to get her. She was on her own.

But she wasn't. Not really. Her golden retriever was still with her. "Trout! Oh, God, if he got smooshed..." Sawyer was starting to not only freak out since she was trapped, but where was Trout? Now reality was really sinking in. The thought of losing her dog brought a layer of tears to her eyes. He had to be okay. Everything was culminating into a ball of chaos. Her dog had probably been flattened like a pancake, she was stuck in her bathroom, and she had a cut that looked worse than pretty bad.

Just as her thoughts seemed to get as dark as they possibly could, Sawyer heard a scratch on the door.

"Trout?" Sawyer got quiet, hoping it was who she thought it was. A familiar sniffing sound came from the door frame and the blonde knew that the dog was okay. She tried to push the door open a tiny bit, just to see what they were dealing with. With the door opened about an inch, Sawyer saw Trout's wet nose stick through the door. He barked and Sawyer laughed. "Ugh...this sucks."

Sawyer shut the door and studied the door frame. The damn thing was put on backwards, that's why she couldn't get out. If the genius who built the house did things right, she wouldn't even be stuck. Weren't most bathroom doors supposed to open in instead of out? Yes.

Taking a few deep breaths, Sawyer tried to think of the best thing to do. Her arm needed tending to but the twenty-eight year old wanted to get out of the bathroom before she did anything else. Feeling her phone in her pocket, Sawyer pulled it out and texted the last person she'd talked to. Her fingers pressed three buttons but when she felt her cut start to pulsate she dropped her phone on the floor. That wouldn't have been too much of a problem if there wasn't an inch of water covering the floor. "Damn it!" She picked up her phone and looked at the all white screen. "Shit!"

Things were not going well.

"Okay. I get it. Karma is a bitch. I know I should have left this morning! I know!" Pissed at the world, but more mad at herself, Sawyer was gonna have to figure out what to do. The storm was still raging outside and she knew the probability of someone randomly passing by and hearing her wasn't likely. She was gonna have to get comfortable.

Looking through the linen closet, Sawyer pulled out all the towels she could and tossed them in the bathtub. It was the only dry place. There wasn't much in the form of first aid. No band-aids, no gauze, just Q-tips, tampons, and toilet paper. She'd have to make it work.

While she wrapped her arm she saw the deep gash and redness that surrounded the skin around her cut. She wasn't sure that was normal but at the moment she was doing the best she could. She was starting to feel light-headed but had to push through the pain. After she was bandaged up, Sawyer worked on a place she could stay warm and dry.

By the time she got done figuring out what to do, she was starting to feel significantly dizzy. Attributing that to her lack of sustenance that day, Sawyer sat down in the tub. Her arm was starting to pulsate furiously and she almost felt nauseous. She wasn't sure what time it was at this point, maybe close to eleven at night, so this whole ordeal had lasted about four hours so far.

Tired, annoyed, and wishing she was somewhere else, Sawyer pulled a towel towards her chin and started talking to Trout for company. He was on the other side of the door but knowing he was there was comforting. "How's it look out there?" Not expecting a response, Sawyer arched her brow. "Don't tell me if it's bad."

Sawyer, laughed at herself and took a deep breath. She could tell something was wrong. This gash on her arm felt like it was on fire, and with each passing minute she grew more and more tired. She'd lost a hefty amount of blood, but not _that much_ blood. What was wrong with her?

It was up in the air. All Sawyer knew was that she was surprisingly comfortable and that the inside of her eyelids seemed much more appealing than trying to stay awake.

What she didn't know, was that cut of hers was more than just a cut. Already seeping deep within her system, a bacteria from the roof water that got into her cut was finding a new home. If she didn't get help soon she wasn't going to be in a good situation at all. A bacteria infection could quickly make her septic if left untreated, and septicemia could be fatal.

Someone needed to find her fast.

**OTHOTH**

Once the dangerous part of the storm had passed through Tree Hill, the army of rescuers and first responders left their area of safety to help the small city in need. Patrolling the streets of Tree Hill, the men of the United States Coast Guard were in for an interesting day. Some units had been dispatched downtown, some were helping with traffic, some were headed for the beach while others were sent in town. The residential area of Tree Hill had been hit pretty hard with down trees, power outages, and flooding. Four teams armed with axes and chainsaws were ready for clean-up. Most of the locals left town so they weren't expecting much in the form of search and rescue, but that's what they were in for.

"Oh, man. Look at this street." Drew drove down the road and pointed at the down trees and lines. He parked the car and looked to this three teammates. "Kline and I will take the right side. Trammel you and Parker take the left."

The four men got out of the car to survey the area before they starting cutting away the tall victims of Lucile's wrath. Responsible for a couple blocks, the Coasties started walking down the street looking for signs of damage they could report. If they spotted potentially dangerous structures, the first thing they had to do was make sure there were no injuries.

Walking down the street, Ben was amazed at the damage. Some of the trees looked like they'd toppled like dominoes.

"Over here!"

Ben turned and saw Drew waving his guys over. He hurried across the street and knew that an elderly couple lived in the home. A man about eighty walked down the steps while Drew and Stephen hurried inside.

"What happened, sir?" Ben walked over to the man hoping he could help. He figured they hadn't evacuated due to their age.

"It's my wife. She's having trouble breathing." He looked helpless as they rushed to his aid. "I can't drive anymore and the phones are down."

"It's gonna be fine, sir. We'll get her some help."

Just as Ben said that, a little old lady walked down the stairs with Drew guiding her. "I'll be fine, honey. Don't you worry. A little stress is good for me." The old man's wife smiled through her chest pain. She seemed pretty calm and collected while the man she loved was far from it.

"We'll take her to the truck and call for an ambulance."

"Thank you." The old man smiled and nodded towards the men in blue.

Ben and his partner headed back to the other side of the street and went door to door checking on homes.

Three streets over, Sawyer was out cold but someone else in the house heard the whoop of the siren as it took the old couple away. Trout's ears shot up and he looked outside. He hadn't budged since last night, and had stayed by the door the entire time. He wasn't leaving Sawyer. She was his most trusted companion.

But something told the dog to go outside and Trout got up. He looked to the bathroom door and then outside again. He didn't really want to leave but some animal instinct told him to.

The normally lazy golden retriever made his way over and under the fallen tree and he jumped through the hole in the side of the house. His nose was up in the air and he could smell that people were around. His paws started pounding the pavement and he took off as fast as he could.

Just ahead of Ben, his road partner Jon was stepping over a down limb when he saw a dog headed for him.

"Whoa,whoa..." Jon held out his hands and stopped the dog. "Someone forget to take you, pal?" The dog started barking and Jon took him by the collar. "Ben? Grab me some rope. We've got a lost dog."

Ben couldn't see Jon until he walked out from behind a line of bushes. "Huh?"

"Rope. Get me some rope, will ya? I got a lost dog."

As Ben got closer to Jon his heart started to race. "Trout?" The dog started barking uncontrollably and Ben's lump in his throat completely blocked his breathing. Trout managed to free himself away from Jon's grip and ran over to Ben. The guy from Memphis knelt down and looked at the dog."What are you doing here? Where's Sawyer?" Trout started bouncing around and Ben looked in the direction of her house. "Trout, where is she?"

"Where's who?" Jon wasn't filled in on the Ben Trammel, Sawyer Scott story. Ben started running without thinking about it and Jon furrowed his brow, "Where are you going?" He took off after Ben and had no idea where they were going.

A light rain started to fall but Ben didn't care. Suddenly he was running like his life depended on it. Maybe not his life, but maybe hers. His throat started to sting with exhaustion as his feet sprinted toward the house, but it didn't matter. At this point he figured whatever pain she was in was probably worse than his.

While he ran to Sawyer's house, Ben wondered how he would explain his sudden jog if nothing was wrong. When he turned the corner, he saw her house and couldn't help but see the tree. It had taken out the back half of Sawyer's home and it didn't look good.

Running straight into the house, Ben followed his gut and went for the guest bedroom. There was a sea of branches sticking out in all places, the roof had been sliced like a piece of cheese. Huffing, Ben tried to crawl his way toward the bathroom door. He saw claw marks from Trout and banged on the door. "Sawyer? Sawyer!" Ben stuck his ear up to the door and heard nothing but his own heartbeat in his ears.

Jon walked into the room and furrowed his brow, "What are you doing, man? We don't hit this street until later?" Stepping on the trunk that was blocking the door, Ben didn't give a damn about what Jon was saying. He kicked the door and could feel the sweat pooling on his brow. "Ben..."

"Shut up!" Ben kicked the door and turned to the guy who was getting on his nerves. "Go get me something to knock down this door."

Jon could see the fire burning behind Ben's eyes and knew he better do as he was told.

Ben took a deep breath and looked around to see if there was anything lying around. There wasn't and out of his frustration he kicked the door again. This time it worked, and the wooden door broke loose from it's frame and hinges.

Hopping off the trunk of the tree, Ben walked into the bathroom and saw a grim sight. Sawyer was in the bathtub and was the same color as the porcelain. He knelt down by her. "Sawyer...Sawyer...talk to me." He could see that she'd put a slew of towels around her to keep her warm, but when he touched her hand it felt like ice. He started to peel away the towels and saw the first stains of blood. A dark brown stain covered the entire right side of her body and he reached down to feel her arm. It was burning hot so he checked her forehead. It was hot too, and then he checked her pulse. She was barely hanging on but her heart was still beating.

Wiping his brow with the side of his bicep, Ben took a deep breath as he lifted Sawyer out of the tub. She was heavier than he expected, but he could manage.

Jon walked into the tree ridden room holding a baseball bat. "This is all I found." He saw Ben struggling to maneuver his way around the branches and his eyes got wide. "Oh shit."

"Get the truck!"

Jon took off running, and Ben slowly and carefully made his way through the mess.

Sawyer was cold in his arms but Ben had hope that she would be okay. Trout came running up to him from the house and Ben nodded at their dog. There was a special camaraderie between the two of them. When he'd first left for Texas, Ben told Trout to take care of Sawyer and that's exactly what he did- what he was doing.

Ben saw the white truck come around the corner and he walked into the street.

Jon got out of the truck and opened up the back door. "It's gonna be tight but..."

It didn't matter if they weren't going to be comfortable. They just needed to get to the hospital.

The drive over there wasn't as fast as Ben had wanted, but he couldn't really be too mad at Jon. The weather and general condition of the roads didn't allow for speedy travel. As soon as they got there he carried Sawyer inside.

A nurse saw the Coastie and hurried over to him. "What happened?" She motioned for a bed and looked at Sawyer.

"I don't know. I think it's an infection or something. She's got a fever, weak pulse." He placed Sawyer on the bed and watched a team of people rush her down the hall.

The nurse looked to Ben with more questions. "How long has she been out?"

Shrugging, Ben had no idea. "Hours probably. We just found her."

"Ben we have to get back." Jon walked into the hospital and tilted his head toward the door.

Nodding at his fellow Coastie, Ben looked to the nurse. "You have a pen?" The young nurse handed him a pad of paper and a pen. Ben started scribbling down a few numbers hoping he'd remembered correctly. "You think you can call this number? Her parents should know what's going on. I think this is her mom's cell number." Ben held out the piece of paper. "And her mom's name is Peyton. Peyton Scott."

"Sure, of course." She took the piece of paper and watched him walk away. "Who should I say brought her in?"

Ben turned around and shook his head. "It's not important."

The young nurse nodded and walked over to phone. She dialed the number and a woman picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" Peyton didn't recognize the number but answered anyway. Maybe Sawyer was finally getting in touch with her?

"Is this Peyton Scott?"

"Yes." Peyton was even more skeptical now.

"This is Annie Marks with Tree Hill Memorial Hospital. Your daughter has just been admitted..."

"Luke..." Peyton looked over to her husband as she listened to the hospital employee go on.

"She was brought in about ten minutes ago."

Peyton hated that she and her husband were four hours away in Charlotte. "We'll be there as fast as possible. Thank you." Hanging up, Peyton turned to Lucas and shook her head. "Sawyer's in the hospital."

Squinting, Lucas furrowed his brow, "What?"

"Yeah, I don't know. That was the hospital..." Peyton was starting to get emotional because she had absolutely no idea what was wrong with her oldest child. "We need to go."

There wasn't any hesitation on Lucas' part and the husband and wife duo hurried to get out of the hotel. Nathan and Haley were staying in the same place so Lucas told Haley what was going own while Peyton called Brooke. For the worried mom, drive was almost unbearable. Lucas couldn't drive fast enough but he had to be at least a little cautious. The rate of car accidents between them wasn't a good number and he didn't want _all_ of them to end up in the hospital.

Peyton got out of the car and let Lucas park while she ran to the nurse's station. "I'm looking for my daughter, Sawyer Scott. She's supposed to be here."

The woman at the desk scrolled through the patient names on the computer and shook her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am we don't have a patient by that name."

That couldn't be right. Peyton bugged her eyes. "I was told she was brought here."

A young nurse walked towards the desk and recognized Peyton's voice. "Mrs. Scott, I'm Annie."

"You. I talked to you. They said she wasn't here."

Annie nodded. "Since she came in without identification we didn't put her in the system." Annie smiled at Peyton and ushered the worried mother down the hall. "We've got her, though. Your daughter came in with a sever laceration on her arm that got infected. She was in the beginning stages of septicemia when she came in."

Peyton's world was spinning. "What is that? Is she okay?"

Annie walked to the elevators and pushed the up button. "It's a type of blood poisoning. Sometimes open wounds get infected and if the bacteria starts to multiply it can be pretty devastating."

"But she's okay, right?"

Nodding, Annie quickly let Peyton know Sawyer was okay but that it wasn't a quick fix. "We've got her in I.C.U. in a medically induced coma. She had a dangerously high temperature and we're trying to cool her down."

Peyton rode the elevator up to the third floor as tears started to fall down her cheeks. How did something like this happen? And didn't the Scotts already visit this place more than any family? It was ridiculous how often they did the whole hospital thing. Shouldn't they be exempt or something?

"Everything's gonna be fine, Mrs. Scott."

Flicking away a tear, trying to be strong, Peyton nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

Annie escorted Peyton to where Sawyer was and stopped in front of the door. "It may be overwhelming at first but she's alright. I'll let your husband know where to go."

Peyton nodded and walked through the doors with a brave face. She considered herself a pretty brave person. Most of the time she could handle reality pretty well, but as soon as she saw her loud mouthed daughter quiet and still Peyton had to find something to hold onto. She and Sawyer had there differences but the love this woman had for her daughter was undeniable and always true. Peyton would gladly take Sawyer's place in that bed if she could.

Sawyer had never really been in any sort of accident or in the hospital. Not like this, so seeing those tubes and hearing the monitors made the fifty two year old cringe. Peyton walked to Sawyer's bedside and reached for her hand. The ice cold touch of Sawyer's hand made Peyton unable to speak. She wanted to tell Sawyer she was there for her but was unable to.

It was so hard to see her child in position like this. There was nothing she could do to help and it was killing Peyton. Still holding onto Sawyer's hand, Peyton scooted a near by chair close and took a seat. Breathing deeply a few times, Peyton was pretty sure she could speak now.

"You never did make things easy, did you?" Peyton laughed at her attempt to lighten the mood. Her smile faded when Sawyer didn't crack open an eye at her attempt, though. "You're a lot like your dad, you know that? I know everyone thinks your more like me, but I see him in you everyday." Peyton felt like she was experiencing deja-vu. Lucas had been in a similar state after a car accident in high school and Sawyer seemed to be following in his footsteps. Car accident it wasn't, but she was in a coma like he'd been. "I wish you were a little less like him sometimes." Peyton looked around the hospital with a sarcastic laugh that was cut off by a catch in her breath. "But I was here for him then, and I'm here for you now." Peyton's lip quivered uncontrollably and she had to turn away.

The door behind her opened and the older music lover turned with a heartbreaking look.

Lucas never imagined what it would be like seeing his daughter hooked up to machines and tubes coming out of her mouth and arms. Whatever the picture he would have thought of, it wouldn't have been as bad as this. Sawyer's limp body and her washed out color took the breath from his lungs. The emotions he was experiencing were torture and he couldn't imagine what Peyton was feeling. He knew what it was like to see the person you love lying in bed like that but for a mother to see their child was something else entirely. He walked over to Peyton and put his hand over her back, rubbing it with a comforting motion.

She wasn't about to get up or let go of Sawyer's hand, but Peyton closed her eyes at Lucas' touch. In such a bad situation he made things just a little bit better.

Reaching out to hold onto Sawyer's leg, Lucas placed his hands on the hospital blanket and took a deep breath. "We're here for you, Sawyer."

The three Scotts stayed in their little room for a while until a doctor came in to brief Lucas and Peyton about her condition.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scott?" Dr. Nelson looked at the newly written in name of his patient and nodded at her parents. "I'm doctor Todd Nelson. I've been looking over your daughter's case."

"How's she doing?" Lucas put on his famous squint and crossed his arms in front of his chest, running one of his hands over his stubbly chin.

"Right now she's stable. Her body is septic, but we're fighting off the bacteria with anti-biotics and keeping her hydrated. She had a fever well over one hundred and five but we are in the process of trying to cool her down. If you see us bring in ice-packs they're being placed around her to lower her temperature."

"How long does it take? How long with she be like this?" Peyton turned to Sawyer and felt her heartbreak.

"It depends on her, really. The faster her temperature drops the sooner we'll have answers. Sometimes these things take a few days. Sometimes they take up to a week, sometimes two. It's a good thing she was brought in when she was. A few more hours with the infection she had and this might be a different story.'

"Whe...who brought her in?" Lucas wanted to be sure and thank whoever it was.

"I'm not sure. One of the nurses downstairs probably knows." He wished he knew but didn't. "I'll come back in periodically to check on her and see how things are going. Right now it's gonna be a lot of waiting, but we're hopeful she'll wake up soon."

Lucas shook the doctor's hand with an appreciative nod. "Thank you."

"Thanks." Peyton looked up from her seat but turned her attention back to Sawyer. She wanted Sawyer to wake up now.

That wasn't gonna happen.

Haley and Brooke got to the hospital at about the same time and followed Lucas' instructions to the third floor. Haley lightly tapped on the door and Lucas opened it. Just over his shoulder both Brooke and Haley saw Sawyer's lifeless figure. Brooke immediately covered her mouth and those big eyes of hers started to well. Haley felt helpless and the look on Lucas' face broke her heart. He told them a short and quiet overview and moved away from the doorway so they could come in.

Brooke went immediately to Peyton's side. "She's gonna be fine, P. Scott." The way that Peyton was clutching Sawyer's hand was so emotional that Brooke was doing a pretty good job not to break down. "Tell me what I can do for you."

"Call Keith." Peyton wasn't even sure if Lucas called their other child but he needed to know that his sister was in intensive care. "And Nick, too."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine."

Peyton wasn't fine but Brooke knew there wasn't a lot she could do to help. "Let me make some calls. I'll be just outside."

Haley had been in this situation before. It wasn't as serious, but when Jamie was young she'd had to run to the hospital after finding out he and Nathan had gotten in an accident. Septicemia was hardly the same as a broken bone, but she knew how it was to see your child hurt. "The doctor said it was only a matter of time, right?"

Peyton nodded but didn't take her eyes away from Sawyer. "Something like that."

That's exactly what it would be. A waiting game. It could take a few more hours, it could take a few more days. Knowing Sawyer, she probably would hold off as long as she could just to make everyone suffer. Or maybe not? At this point it was really up in the air and too early to tell.

Someday, though. One of these days she'd be better. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

**OTHOTH**

The following morning, Sawyer's room was lit up by the early rising sun but the hospital room was quiet. It was before visiting hours but he managed to slip in, and the Coastie felt like holding his breath while he stood next to her. He wasn't even supposed to be in there but it was part of the perks of a uniform he assumed. It didn't help that most of the nurses were crushing on his dreamboat status either. One of them recognized him from the day before and let him check on the girl he'd brought in without hesitation. But who could blame them? Who wouldn't like a guy like Ben?

Sawyer. That's who. At least not anymore.

Ben heard the rhythmic beat of her heart on the machine and he was sure his was following the same pattern. She looked better today. Her color was starting to come back. The white hospital gown with small green dots was washing her out, though. Her frail and pail complexion was a sight for sore eyes.

He stood by her bed for a moment and wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything or not. He'd really only come to make sure she was doing okay. He was headed back to Texas in a little while and wanted to check on her before he left. Part of him didn't want to go but she wasn't his to take care of or protect. She had a whole slew of people that would do that for her. There was just something that kept bringing his thoughts back to her. Maybe it had been the way he found her slumped in the tub or the way her hands had been ice cold, or that her forehead had been burning with a fire he knew couldn't be put out? Flashes and images of what he'd stumbled upon yesterday were going to forever be ingrained in his mind, and until she woke up he probably wouldn't stop worrying about her.

Taking one step closer, Ben cleared his throat. "You look good today."

He rolled his eyes at himself for saying. At least she wasn't awake to hear him.

"I'm headed back to Texas, but wanted to come see you first, check on you." He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Trout's fine. He's with Charlotte and Graham. I think he likes hanging out with Mack." Ben started to smile. "Remember when they were puppies and Trout would chase Mack and trip over himself all the time?" He looked at Sawyer and wondered if she would answer but the steady beeping of her machines told him she wouldn't. "I've been talking to my superiors about my next assignment. A part of me wants to come back here, but I don't know. I don't know how we work together in the same city. Can we work together?" Ben took a deep breath. "It's kinda weird to think about. But it's either here or Maine. I don't know why Maine's on my list but..." Ben started to smile and looked at Sawyer with hopeful eyes. "A little advice would be nice, O.J."

A nurse walked into the room and Ben took a step away from Sawyer's bed.

Annie had a chart in her hands and was marking things down. "Don't mind me, I'll just be a sec."

Ben wasn't so sure if he wanted to have this conversation in front of another person and waited before she started to leave. Ben turned as she opened the door. "Thanks for letting me come in here."

Smiling, Annie tucked her pen behind her ear. "Sure." She disappeared into the hallway and Ben turned his attention back to Sawyer.

"So what do you think? I can't make up my mind." He laughed and started to smile. "I say Tree Hill and you'd say Maine, wouldn't you? You'd say Mexican and I'd say seafood." Ben laughed at himself for thinking about the way they'd made decisions.

Ben got quiet and then spoke up again after the heart rate monitor beeped. "You wanna know what my dad said? He said I should come here. He might be right."

The door opened and Ben figured it would be another nurse. It wasn't.

With a bag of things to keep her occupied during visitation hours, Peyton opened the door to Sawyer's room only to see a familiar looking light haired Coastie standing by Sawyer's bed. "Ben?"

A high school memory took her back to the time when Karen walked in Luke's hospital room only to find her in there. Life really repeats itself, doesn't it?

Using his thumb to point to the door he started walking that way. "I was just leaving."

"No, no. You can stay. Don't leave on account of me."

Ben loved Sawyer's parents but knew it wasn't going to make things any easier. "Actually I'm on my way out of town."

"Oh...well." Peyton put her bag down and walked over to Sawyer. "I guess you heard?"

She could say that. Ben nodded and lied straight through his teeth, feeling bad about it as he spoke each word. "Graham told me. I came in town as auxiliary help, and found out last night."

Peyton looked at her daughter and crossed her arms. "You know how she is, always tempting fate at the most inconvenient times." Peyton was less emotionally drained as she was yesterday and had a more optimistic look about Sawyer's prognosis.

Ben nodded and walked towards the door. "I really should get going."

Peyton nodded and smiled at her daughter's ex-boyfriend. "Good to see you, Ben. Thanks for stopping by."

He slipped out of the room and sighed heavy with a shake of his head. Ben hated lying but it was better than the truth- simpler than the truth. As he waited for the elevator he opted for the stairs which was probably a good choice. When those metal doors opened out stepped Nick.

Eying the numbers on the doors, Nick found Sawyer's room and tapped on the door. Visiting hours had just started but he expected Peyton to be there. He opened the door and was right. His first look was to her mom and then Nick's eyes landed on Sawyer. She looked like an entirely different person. All of the color had been drained from her body and she looked so much smaller than the tall girlfriend he remembered. He'd never really experienced anything like this. Nobody he loved had ever ended up in the hospital so these emotions and feelings were new.

"She's gonna be okay, right?" He looked to Peyton with hope in his eyes.

Nodding, Peyton turned to her daughter. "It's up to her now. She's just gotta wake up." Peyton got up off her chair and walked past Nick lightly touching his arm. He looked terrible, like he'd been up all night. He had. His travels back from Colorado had been less than easy but he was here and that's all that mattered. Peyton liked that. He was obviously dedicated to her daughter. "I'll let you talk to her."

Nick appreciated it and walked towards his girlfriend. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do but took her hand. Her fingers felt freezing and he furrowed his brow. "You're a lot colder than I expected." That hadn't been the first thing he wanted to say but for some reason he was nervous. He didn't like not having her respond in her sarcastic ways or shoot him a glare that made him laugh. "I wish you'd left. I hate that you're like this.' He was fumbling for words and glanced out the window. "The house is in pretty bad shape but I think everything is gonna end up fine. You'll probably get to re-do the house and add in that music room you want."

Glancing down at Sawyer, Nick studied her face to see if she showed signs of movement. "I love you." Did that work? Would she open her eyes now? Looking down to see if Sawyer woke up, Nick was disappointed. He took a seat next to her bed and started to tell her about his trip.

Outside the room, Peyton was studying the map of the hospital. She didn't have any interest in finding out where things were, she'd been so many times she already knew, but she was wasting time so Nick could be with Sawyer. She saw a nurse walk out of a room and recognized her. Peyton approached the young woman and smiled. "Hi..."

"Mrs. Scott, good morning. Sawyer's looking good today."

Peyton nodded but didn't want to talk about Sawyer. She had another question. "Do you happen to know who brought her in?"

Annie didn't have a name but she did know some helpful hints that might help. "He was actually just in there. Tall, light hair. Blue uniform."

The pieces were falling into place and Peyton started walking for the stairs before she realized she was doing it. Ben was probably long gone but maybe he was downstairs?

Peyton reached the lobby and looked around the large open room for a familiar face. Her eyes fell on every soul but Peyton didn't see who she was looking for. That was until he walked out of the gift shop. Hurrying over to him, Peyton walked up to Ben and without saying a single word and hugged him.

It had caught him off guard but when he recognized the hair and frame of the woman he knew it was Peyton. "What's this for?" He played it off like nothing was worth hugging over.

She pulled away from him and wiped her cheek. "Why didn't you say anything? Ben, thank you for getting her here."

"It wasn't anything. I was at the right place at the right time."

Peyton shook her head. "It was more than that." All she wanted to do was hug the guy and never let go. Sawyer wasn't even awake but the fact that she was still fighting was all thanks to him.

"Mrs. Scott...?"

Laughing, Peyton moved back from Ben with a sweet smile. "You know you can call me Peyton." She saw that he'd upgraded to Lieutenant and smiled at his rank. "What can I do to thank you. I can't cook but..."

"Don't tell anyone. Especially Sawyer."

"What?" Peyton wasn't sure why he didn't want Sawyer to know he'd been the one to get her here.

There were two empty chairs by the gift shop and Ben sat down in one with Peyton sitting in the other. "I just think it's better if she doesn't know. I don't want to..."

"Complicate things?"

He nodded and wasn't sure how Peyton knew what to say. There wasn't anything to complicate, but in so many ways there were.

Peyton took a deep breath and put her hand on Ben's knee. "Your a good guy, Ben. I don't think she'd expect anything less of you."

Probably so, but he still knew it would make things easier if they kept his identity a secret. "But that's the thing. I don't want her to think that. I think it makes things much easier if we just pretend I was never here."

There was a look in his eyes that she recognized. This wasn't about protecting his identity it seemed to be a little bit more about protecting his heart. Peyton's attention went to the groups of people scattered in the lobby and she turned back to Ben. "You can't stop thinking about her, can you?" Peyton knew exactly what Ben was going through. He was in love with someone who thought they loved someone else. Ben meet Peyton, Sawyer meet Lucas. This whole thing was playing out very similar to what she'd gone through in high school. A lot like it. "You care about her too much to make it a big thing, don't you?"

Was he that obvious? Ben looked at Peyton wondering how she knew all of this. "What am I supposed to do?"

Peyton laughed because she'd always been the one people turned to for love life advice. "I can't tell you what to do, Ben. I think you already know."

Sawyer's mom was right. There was a reason he was still lingering in the hospital. He didn't want to step out of those doors and wonder if she'd wake up or have something bad happen when he wasn't there. They'd spent a lot of time apart over the last two and half years but some things never changed. He'd never fallen out of love with Sawyer Scott and every time he came back to town he was reminded of that very thing. Knowing she was hurt and knowing she needed help only made him want her more. It was a little selfish though. He'd told her to find someone else and she'd done that. Ben missed his chance.

"Don't give up. Who knows how things will end up." Peyton nodded and leaned into Ben's side before she got up. "I won't tell her but I can't promise I won't tell her dad."

"Fair enough." Ben nodded with a cute smile.

Peyton headed back upstairs and wondered how long Ben would be sitting down there. He probably had a plane to catch or a long drive waiting on him, so he may not linger too much longer.

Walking into Sawyer's room, Peyton smiled at Nick but couldn't help but feel like she was looking at the wrong person. She had always liked Ben. Nick was a great guy, and Sawyer clearly liked him but he may not be the person she truly needed. But maybe Ben wasn't that guy either? Peyton was leaning towards Ben but it wasn't in her hands and it was out of her control. That decision was up to Sawyer. It was hers make but she'd have to wake up first.

**OTHOTH**

**Soo...how about that drama. First off...Sawyer's still not awake. Anybody have a request for who's with her when she does wake up? Second...seems like things are about to get sticky with the Ben and Nick situation. If Ben comes back to Tree Hill that's bound to stir the pot. We've still got Madam Celeste's predictions to think about. That storm will be an ongoing struggle that Sawyer has to weather when it comes to her heart. Lucile wasn't the only thing she had to get through. J...he still remains a mystery. Some of y'all had great guesses. And then there's still the number two. So much to think about...I'll let your mind start to race as you think about what's to come!**

**My reviewers. You guys rock. There is something in particular about those of you for this story due to the ratio to readers that gets me pumped every time. So thank you. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be getting spontaneous updates like this again, lol!**

**Amanda: Thanks so much for reviewing! Ben was in this chapter so I hope you liked that. He'll probably be around more often. As for you guess about J, ;). That was a good guess and we'll find out later in the story if you were right.**

**A reader: Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad your not behind on Sawyer's so you could review. And lol, you were probably really lost when I mentioned the hurricane, sorry. I'm so thrilled you'e been enjoying this story! I'm also glad you like Nick. He's a nice change for Sawyer and I enjoy writing them together. Your idea about J was very clever. I would have never thought about that since with time Ben's rank changes, but that was a good guess!**

**Anon: Haha, sorry for making you feel old by making Lily a mom. Bahaha and yes, you're on to me. This story is all about the mind games! No, It's not, but I've definitely thrown you guys for a few loops, huh? But you were right about Ben coming to her rescue. Not the question is when and how will she find out if she ever does?**

**Aloyalfan: I'm so happy you liked the chapter! I enjoyed bringing back Lily and I'm glad you did too. Your prediction about J maybe be right. I like your theory on the number two, too. We'll find out if you're right in time.**

**CrazyGirl: I'm glad you like the story so much, and that you really love Sawyer! Since Ben was back in a big way I think you were probably happy about that. He'll pop up a little more in the story now. And thanks so much for the compliments about my writing...totally made me smile! Thanks a lot!**

**Gabby 23: You have disabled your PMs so I am replying here: Ha, I don't blame you for putting the French into a translator. I did the same to see what it would give you and found it wasn't helpful, but maybe the one you used help! I hope you liked the Ben stuff in the chapter! J will be introduced in the story in a few chapters on down the road ;) I appreciate the review!  
**

**Review Please!**


	13. Heart Shaped Bruise

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 13: Heart Shaped Bruise**

**Disclaimer: Ugh-uh. Nope. Nada. Zilch. Nuffin'. Nothing. Nill. You. Get. The. Picture.**

**A.N: Hey, y'all. Ready to see what issues stem from the hurricane mess Sawyer went through last chapter? I can almost guarantee it will make things super-duper complicated on like a bajillion-million levels. Sounds fun, right? Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

Ten days. Ten days had gone by and the Scott families were still waiting on Sawyer to wake up. All signs pointed to good things but the stubborn twenty-eight year old didn't want to open her eyes. It seemed she was pretty content lying in bed just letting her mind rest.

The other members of her family were being more proactive in her recovery, however. Everyone had stopped by to wish her well. Keith came by everyday during lunch and on his way home from work. Charlotte visited her cousin when she could. Her six month-old took most of her time but Charlotte wanted to be there as often as she could. Brooke and Haley had been unbelievable. Haley took over at the studio while Peyton had Sawyer on her mind. Brooke had food delivered to the hospital for every meal. Jamie came by and brought his eight year old who told Sawyer to get well soon. Bennet was adamant that he'd be waiting for a re-match in Wii bowling. Even Neil came to see Sawyer. Most of Tree Hill had, and there were three people who'd hardly left her side.

Nick was able to get out of work for a while, but after a week of being away from the office, he'd had to give most of his visitation time to her parents. He didn't want to, but there wasn't a lot of choice. It was probably better that Nick spent some time away from the dreary hospital anyway. It was hard enough to see Sawyer perfectly still and motionless, and each day added to the worry and frustration. He'd fall asleep thinking about what she'd gone through, how he wasn't there, and what could've happened. Then he'd wake up wanting to see her and be there for her. It was a lot to think about, and even more to worry about. Nick wasn't alone in his worries, though.

Lucas was the silent resilient type. He'd sit for hours at a time just sitting and thinking. He made the best of his time with Sawyer and wrote the story she'd probably never want to read while he waited. It wasn't easy for him to listen to the ghostly beep from her monitors but somehow he'd turned it into motivation. At the rate he was going, he'd probably have most of the book done soon. A few details from those willing to help him out and he'd be set.

While Lucas was the one to silently get through it all, Peyton had taken a different approach. There was a soft musical buzz that echoed through Sawyer's hospital room as her mom turned on her iPod. It was one of Peyton's favorite Cure songs and she turned to Sawyer with a smile."If you want me to change it, you're gonna have to tell me." Peyton walked over to Sawyer's bedside and gently pulled down the covers. "And just so you know...I've become an expert at this." Peyton lifted Sawyer's left leg and started to bend it. The motion was going to keep Sawyer's legs from stiffening and give her an easier road to recovery once that actually started to happen.

While going through the routine she'd done for the last few days, Peyton took a moment to run her eyes over Sawyer's body. Limp and unconscious, her daughter at least looked peaceful. That gave Peyton some sort of peace of mind. It wasn't ideal and it was extremely hard, but the snarky blonde's mom knew they were lucky. Things could be much worse.

Walking to the other side of the bed, Peyton started to exercise Sawyer's other leg and sighed. Her hazel eyes ran up to rest on her daughter's closed lids. "I need you to wake up, Sawyer." Knowing that her quivering chin was a precursor to one of the many breakdowns she'd been privy to, Peyton took a deep breath. "So what do you say, kid?"

Sawyer didn't respond but her hospital room door opened and Peyton flicked away any of the tears that managed to fall down her cheeks. The young nurse who'd been an absolute blessing walked in the room with a clipboard and a smile. "Hi, Mrs. Scott." The auburn haired twenty-six year old wasn't even technically Sawyer's ICU nurse, but ever since the first day she'd been brought in, Annie found herself tied to Sawyer and her family. The support she saw from the Scotts and the appreciation they had for what the staff was doing had been incredibly kind and genuine. She couldn't help but drop in from time to time. After ten days with the Scott family, Annie felt like she was a part of the group. "How's she doing?"

Looking to her daughter, Peyton nodded. "Same as yesterday. I was just doing some exercises with her."

"She's gonna thank you for that when she wakes up."

Peyton smiled and let out a sarcastic laugh. "I don't care if she ever thanks me. I just want her to wake up."

Annie looked over Sawyer's numbers and knew that it was just a matter of time. "She will." Noticing the music in the air, the nurse glanced to the iPod dock knowing Sawyer was an avid music fan. "This album is too good to miss."

Peyton sat back in her chair and smiled. "Actually she hates this band."

Surprised to hear it, Annie arched her brow as she looked to the girl lying in the bed who was just a couple years older than herself. "I never would've thought that."

"Don't tell her, but her opinion on music isn't always supreme." Peyton glanced to Sawyer with a smile and then to Annie. "Sawyer and my husband think they're whinny."

Holding the clipboard against her chest, the young nurse shifted her weight and shrugged. "To each their own, I guess then. I've always liked the Cure."

Smiling, Peyton appreciated the conversation and was happy Annie was someone she could talk to during this hard time. "So you've got good taste in music and you've been a godsend?" Peyton crossed her arms with a raised brow. "We got the good nurse, didn't we?"

The young nurse shook her head. Annie didn't want praise. She was checking in because she cared and because she knew this family could use a little less doctor talk and more human nature. She saw families go through traumatic events all the time and the one thing they always needed was a warm smile and pleasant conversation- anything to help mask the drama built within those cold hospital walls.

The two women were joined by a third person when Sawyer's door opened again.

Taking a step toward the door, Annie smiled at Lucas and turned to Peyton. "I'll leave you two with her." Passing by Lucas, she smiled at Sawyer's father as she left the room. "Bye, Mr. Scott."

Lucas nodded at the nurse and put his nearly full notebook in an empty chair. He looked to his wife and could see the sleep deprivation circles under her eyes. Not saying a word, his squint said it all. He wasn't only worried about Sawyer but their daughter's state was draining his wife's, too.

"You know..." Peyton absently stared to Sawyer and took a deep breath. "I think maybe I'll change the song."

Watching Peyton get up with a heavy heart, Lucas met her by the iPod dock and put his hand on her back. "Peyton..."

She turned to face him and felt like crying. Her emotions were constantly up and down. One minute she was full of hope and the next she was thinking about her high school motto: People Always Leave.

Lucas put his hands on the sides of her arms and rubbed her sleeves. "Why don't you go home for a little while?" He had to be delicate with his words so she wouldn't get upset. "It's been a long day. I'll stay and you can get a shower, eat something?"

While that sounded nice, Peyton didn't want to leave. She'd been there all day. Might as well stay a few more hours before they _made_ her leave.

Squinting, Lucas nodded. "It might make you feel better?" Glancing over to Sawyer, Lucas looked back to Peyton. "Keith will be here in a little bit." He knew Sawyer would be in good hands. "We can take over for a while." Lucas pulled Peyton in for a hug and they stood in a moment of silence.

If she didn't leave now she knew she might not, so Peyton moved away from her husband and walked over to her purse. Slinging her strap around her shoulder, the graying blonde nodded. "If anything..."

"I'll call." Lucas nodded and watched Peyton leave the room. It was just him and his daughter, that faint beep from her heart-rate machine, and the Cure. Lucas was gonna change that last bit.

Scrolling through the various artists, Lucas opted to put the iPod on shuffle and be surprised every three and half or four minutes. He was still quiet and walked over to the chair where he'd put his notebook down and scooted his seat by the edge of Sawyer's bed. Glancing up to her pale face, Lucas sat down and opened up the next blank page. "I'm up to chapter thirteen." Thumbing through the pages, Lucas smiled and looked to Sawyer. "Last night I think I wrote about thirty pages."

He waited for Sawyer to ask what his new story was about but she never responded. The hum from the monitors and the new song playing through the room were his only companions.

"I thought I'd read a little?" Lucas squinted at the words on the page and then to his daughter. Clearing his throat, he sat back in the chair and started to read aloud the story of a girl who made life complicated and messy. She had true intentions but sometimes her plans went a little awry.

He was in the middle of chapter thirteen. A story of about seventeen to twenty, and Lucas cleared his throat once more as he started to narrate the fine line between fact and fiction.

"...it was in the transient state of her unconscious where she started to understand what had happened. His face, his touch, his grip; the images in her mind and the feelings in her heart started to stir her from her sleep..."

Lucas looked to his daughter and wondered if his words would remain true to her story. Maybe Sawyer would wake up now?

After a drawn out moment, the father realized his words were simply fictitious in nature. Sawyer was still out cold.

Clearing his throat, Lucas wanted to keep reading to see if anything else happened. "The realization had simply been a denial of a truth she'd cast aside. The blur between what she thought and what she knew was begging to subside as she came to. After so many days of missing out on the life she'd left behind, Sawyer opened her eyes..."

Lucas turned his shoulder when the door opened and he stopped reading when his youngest walked in the room.

"Hey. Anything new?" Keith arched his brow toward his father wondering if there was any news on Sawyer. "I ran into Mom in the lobby."

Shaking his head, Lucas shrugged. "Still the same."

Keith took a seat next to his dad and looked at his sister. He would never understand her. Not in a million years. One of these days he might figure her out, but right now as he glanced across her pale skin he knew it wouldn't be anytime soon. Turning to Lucas, Keith sat back against the chair. "So Mom left?" He'd seen her so he could only assume.

"Yeah. She's exhausted."

Furrowing his brow, the twenty-six year old nodded. "She's been through a lot." Glancing to his sister and then back to their dad, Keith sighed. "We all have." His eyes landed on his father's notebook and he raised his brow, "How's the book coming?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucas clutched his newest love story. "I'm at the point where I have to write about what hasn't happened yet." It was going to be undoubtedly the hardest part to write. It was one thing to make up a story that mirrored his relationship with Peyton because he knew how it ended. Sawyer's story wasn't over yet.

"You mean like who she ends up with?" Keith looked at his father and saw him nod and he started to smirk. "I know who I want." Nick was a good guy but Keith had been one of the few who'd never really taken to him.

Lucas knew which team Keith was on. Most people had made up their minds when they found out about who got her to the hospital in the first place. That news had traveled like smoke from a wildfire. Lucas looked to Sawyer and ran his fingers over his eyebrows. "But is it who she wants?"

That was one of those questions only she would know, so her little brother started to grin. "You know her. She either made her mind up a long time ago or she'll wait till the last minute." The fact that the two options were on the opposite sides of the spectrum was exactly the way Sawyer Scott worked.

Glancing down to the words on his page, Lucas looked to his son and squinted. "I don't want to write the wrong ending." The ending wasn't exactly near, but he was at a point where he needed to make a creative decision so the book wouldn't drag on.

Smiling at his father, Keith started to shake his head. "Have you ever messed up an ending?"

No. But Lucas had never written something so personal that hadn't happened yet. It wasn't like Sawyer had to live and die by his words, but it probably wasn't fair to finish a story that wasn't his.

"Maybe you can leave it implicit? Or maybe you don't have to choose?" Keith looked at Sawyer and nodded. "Hopefully she'll get out of here and make that decision. You won't have to." He was sure that day would come. He just wasn't so certain when it would be. Time wise, she'd already spent a chunk of change at the hospital so who's to say she wasn't gonna completely break the bank?

Sawyer. That's who. She'd been in a blissed out dazed, drugged up, and completely oblivious to the outside world around her, but she was ready to call time.

Lucas and Keith continued to chat about the book, the napkin Keith had picked up the day of Charlotte and Graham's wedding, and right before they could get to talking about Ben, something made them look to the girl lying in bed. It was a slight shift from her hand, and the Scott men's eyes were glued to her skin. There it was again. This time a finger lifted off the blanket and Keith looked to his father bug eyed like his mom got sometimes.

"Did she just..."

Lucas never took his eyes away from Sawyer but put his notebook down and started to stand up to get closer. He didn't answer his son instead he just put on his famous squint and peered over Sawyer wondering if it was just the medication taking its course. But then blue met blue. Sawyer cracked open an eye and Lucas started to smile. "Sawyer..." His eyebrows rose to the ceiling and he turned to Keith. "Go get a nurse." He looked to Keith and then right back to Sawyer. She was coming around.

Sawyer didn't know where she was, or why she felt like she'd been run over by a handful of trucks, but she recognized the person by her side. She tried to speak up but her throat was dry and coarse.

"Hey...here." Lucas was trying to hold in his relieved emotion as Sawyer opened up her eyes. He filled a cup with water by her bedside to slowly eased her scratchy throat. In a split second Lucas felt like they'd tumbled decades in the past. She may have been twenty-eight but to him Sawyer would forever be that squirley little two year old who pulled peoples hair and stomped her foot. It wouldn't matter how old she was. If Sawyer needed anything, then he and Peyton would be there for their oldest. Keith came hustling back to Sawyer's room and Lucas knew that someone else needed to get the hospital as soon as possible. "Call your mom, alright."

"Yeah. Yeah."

Keith started to pull out his phone and then Lucas knew someone else was on that call list. "And Nick. Call him, too."

Sawyer had taken in enough water to coat her throat so she could speak. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim room but her head felt like it was twenty pounds, and she leaned back in her pillow. "Shit."

Lucas laughed at Sawyer's first word and he sat down on her bed and reached out for her. "Hey...how are you?" He gently leaned over her body and kissed the side of her head. "God, you scared us."

Feeling somewhere between hell and sucktastic, Sawyer furrowed her brow noticing the IV coming out of her arm. "What is this?" Feeling a cool breeze shoot down her back as she leaned up, Sawyer laid back down. "And where's my underwear?"

Happy that she seemed to be her normal self, groggy albeit, but normal, Lucas nodded and felt his eyes gloss over in a happy sheen. "You're in the hospital, Sawyer. There was an accident." He reached out and rubbed her shoulder.

Sawyer tried to think about what could have happened but her mind was drawing blanks. She glanced down at her arm and saw the healing stitches from a sewn up wound. That helped jog her memory. "I...I was at the house and a...tree fell?" She wasn't even sure that was what happened but she went with it. "Something cut me and I...went into the bathroom."

Nodding, Lucas took a deep breath. "The tree fell on the back of the house. You got stuck in the bathroom."

It was all starting to come back to her now. "I got in the tub and..." She tried to remember what happened next but that was as far as Sawyer could recall. She'd already exhausted herself trying to think of things that led up to the tree falling.

Lucas could see her struggling to remember what happened but it wasn't important. What was important was that she was awake. He didn't want her to fall asleep before Peyton got there. "You're mom's on her way. Keith's calling Nick, too."

It must have been a pretty big deal if her mom and boyfriend were on their way. She leaned back against her pillows and felt her stiff joints start to ache. "How long was I out? A few days?" She had no idea what day it was much less the amount of time that had gone by.

Lucas realized how much Sawyer was out of the loop and shook his head.

Sawyer looked to the flowers, cards, and other various get well soon memorabilia that filled her room. Obviously she'd been wrong on her first guess. "A week?"

"Ten days."

Ten days. Sawyer's eyes got wide and she looked at her father. "What happened to me?"

Keith walked into the hospital room before Lucas got to answer and the younger Scott grinned at his sister. "Bout time." He walked over to Sawyer's bed and hugged her. "Kinda freaked us all out there for a while."

Sawyer wanted to say something but she wasn't sure what all had happened to form a good response. She was a little overwhelmed with it all actually.

A nurse came in and smiled at the blonde. "Hi. Sawyer. I'm Brenda. It's nice to see that you're up. I'm gonna want to check on a few things. Doctor Nelson will be here in the morning but I've got a few things we need to go over."

Lucas and Keith excused themselves as Sawyer got examined by the nurse. She still was pretty foggy on what had happened. Her memory of that night was vague but she knew that she'd remember it eventually, probably in pieces, but eventually.

The nurse made sure all of her levels were right, checked her eyesight and hearing. After being in a medically induced coma, Brenda had to make sure Sawyer hadn't lost any sort of function.

Feeling the woman press on her back to check for any pain, Sawyer furrowed her brow. "So what happened to me?"

"You had a bad case of septicemia which is blood poisoning. That cut on your arm got pretty infected, your temperature rose pretty severely, and we induced you to keep you cool."

"I was in a coma?" Sawyer was already starting to feel tired but all this information made her head spin.

"But everything seems to be perfectly fine. You'll feel fatigued for a few days and we're gonna keep you another twenty-four to forty-eight hours, but it looks like everything is gonna be just fine." Brenda checked off a few things on her chart and smiled at the young woman. "I'll get your family back in here now."

Sawyer really felt like her head was spinning now- spinning so fast she couldn't catch up. She'd had blood poisoning? She was in a coma? All these questions made Sawyer start to think about everything she'd gone through and more questions bounced around her head. Was she close to dying? Was this cut gonna leave a big scar? How'd she even get to the hospital? As Sawyer tried to figure things out, her family walked back in her room and this time Keith and Lucas were joined by another.

Peyton didn't believe Sawyer was awake until she saw her eyes open. She'd been halfway home when Keith called her and she turned around as soon as she got the news. Hurrying over to the bed, Peyton sat down and wrapped her arms around her oldest. Tears started flowing on Peyton's end and she couldn't help it. "Ugh...Sawyer...this last week..." Peyton couldn't finish what she wanted to say because her emotion was overwhelming.

Sawyer started to get a lump in her own throat as she wrapped her arms tighter around her mom. Something about hearing her mother cry and seeing the looks on her brother and dad's faces told her everything she needed to know. Things hadn't been good. Then something uncharacteristic of loud mouthed Sawyer Scott started to happen. It was one tear and then another. She wasn't sure why she'd gotten upset but she had. She was tired and weak but knew that whatever hell she'd gone through and put her family through was over.

"I'm sorry", Sawyer choked out and sharply inhaled after she'd said it.

Pulling away from Sawyer, Peyton shook her head. "Sawyer, it doesn't matter what happened. I'm just glad..." She glanced to the two guys behind her. "..._we're_ all just glad you're okay."

Sawyer leaned into her mom's warm embrace and rested her chin on Peyton's shoulder. She closed her eyes and found a comfort in the stillness and familiarity of her mother's body. As she opened her eyes again they landed on the guy who was standing in her doorway. It was a set of eyes she felt like she hadn't seen in years. In reality it had only been ten days.

He had his hands in his pockets and slowly walked toward the bed with a sweet smile. She was awake. Sawyer was finally awake.

Peyton could sense that Sawyer's interest had shifted and she also heard someone walking up behind her.

Those glasses made Sawyer start to smile and the fire in her spirit started to ignite when she saw him get closer. "Hey." Her voice was a little scratchy but she knew he wouldn't care.

Nick took a deep breath and swapped placed with Peyton. He sat down and looked at his girlfriend not really sure if he was making this up. Was she really awake?

Sawyer could see the happy shock that was painted on his face and she reached out for him with a grin. "Well...say something." It had been a phrase she'd used on their first date. It was a night she'd probably never forget. Her memory had been a little hazy regarding the last ten days but not about Nick. She loved him.

Still in a trance of surprise and silent excitement, Nick held onto her hands and then brought one of her wrists up to his mouth and left a lingering kiss on her skin. "I love you."

With a smirk and an attitude that never wavered, Sawyer grinned. "I was wondering if you were ever gonna say anything." She started to lean towards him and Nick met her mid kiss. Her lips buzzed against his after she pulled away. "And that was a very good thing to say first." She kissed him again and felt a rejuvenation flood her veins.

Turns out Nick Beasley really was what she needed.

But if only it were that easy. There were still holes to her story she'd yet to figure out. Big holes, small holes; holes that could change things for the better or mix things up for the worse. Right now she was feeling pretty good. Her mom, dad, Keith, and Nick were all with her and she'd just survived a pretty nasty incident. Sawyer felt pretty lucky, but it wasn't luck who brought her into that hospital.

**OTHOTH**

October had faded away, November was a time of recuperation, and December was nearly on it's way out. Lucile's aftermath had created a hefty clean up for Tree Hill, and the cold temperature of Sawyer's house told her that she still had a lot of cleaning up to do as well. The howling wind and flapping of that damn blue tarp that covered the roof reminded her constantly that her house was still in repair. That dumb tree took out the back half of her house which posed a little bit of a problem seeing as it snatched up the insulation as well. The two bedrooms and bathrooms in the back of the house felt like the same degrees as it did outside which was cold. Really cold. So it was a good thing Sawyer had Nick's place to sleep. His house was fully insulated so she wouldn't have to bundle up in layers just to get a good night's rest.

They hadn't moved in together per say. They'd been dating ten months but Sawyer wasn't quite ready for that yet. Which is why she was standing in her cold room trying to figure out what to wear. Her clothes were still at her house, and through the frigid temperature she tried to pick out an outfit for her aunt and uncle's annual Christmas Eve party.

Eying a pair of dark jeans she could pair with a vest and a dangly necklace, Sawyer knew that she'd look her normal part. The scar on her right arm was hidden beneath the long sleeve top that was under her vest, and she had a feeling she'd be sliding up her sleeve a few times tonight. It would be a fun ice-breaker she'd get to tell everyone about who didn't already know. Seven weeks and she was all whole and healed.

Music started coming from the front of the house and Sawyer slipped on some earrings, a dab of make-up, and took a glance in the mirror before she headed to see what Nick was doing. She already knew he'd put on a record because she could hear the music run through her house.

He was looking through a few records and Sawyer walked up to him and picked up the leaf of the album he'd put on. "Squeeze? Hmm...not exactly Christmasy but..." The lyrics of 'Black Coffee in Bed' started to echo in her ears. "...I kinda like it."

Nick put down the records he'd been looking over and stepped towards her. "Thought I'd change it up. I was getting sick of Jingle Bell Rock and..."

Kinking her brow, Sawyer put her hands around his hips. "Are you bashing my music taste? My _Christmas_ music taste?" Her brow rose another inch and she shrugged, "At least it's not Mariah."

His glasses were starting to inch closer to her face and he nodded. "I'll give you that." He kissed her as song continued to play through the house.

Pulling away, Sawyer narrowed her eyes with a Lucas Scott squint. "But I am curious. Why this one?"

Nick looked at the album and started to smile. "I've never heard it..." His grin started to widen and he laughed. "And I was trying to imagine how that would work."

"What work?"

"Coffee in bed." His eyebrow started to go a little vertical and Sawyer laughed.

"Oh...you mean me and you, in bed...with coffee?" She laughed again and pulled at his jacket to bring him closer. "This song is not about that." What that song was actually about might have proven a little more relevant for Sawyer if she'd thought about it.

"Well...I do know that Elvis Costello is singing back-up." He'd read the album leaf and nodded.

Kissing him before he could finish, Sawyer started to head for the door. His Costello knowledge would never get old. If anything it only turned her on. "Come on. If we make an early appearance at this thing then we can leave early and maybe do a little bit of what you were thinking." Sawyer laughed as she put on her coat.

That sounded like a good idea to him. Nick turned off the music and they headed toward Nathan and Haley's house. Sawyer felt like their night was going perfect until Nick parted next to a black 4-Runner. She'd forgotten that he was gonna be there. Charlotte had been telling Sawyer that Ben was moving back to town for a while now but it only hit her when she saw his car.

Nick put his Acura in park and looked to his girlfriend. He knew that her demeanor had changed. "You alright? You look like you saw a ghost or something?"

In one sense she felt like she had. Ben was in some sort of way a ghost from her past, but she hadn't even seen him yet. It wasn't like she hadn't since they'd split up. They had. But those had been quick run ins to transfer Trout when he'd come to town. Now he was _staying_ in town and that was the strange part. They were going to have to learn how to be friends and that was the scary part. Sawyer hadn't seen Ben since he'd dropped that hurricane flyer off at her house before her hospital madness occurred, and she knew how awkward it had been with him and Nick. Now it was gonna be extra awkward.

Turning to Nick, Sawyer took a deep breath. "So you know how I told you Ben was moving back in town." She looked to the car they'd parked next to. "He's here. So...we can make this really short if we need to."

At this point Nick was pretty confident in his and Sawyer's relationship. Some old flame wasn't gonna botch anything up. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't bother me. If you wanna leave early then..."

"No, no. I was just suggesting it in case...things got weird or something. I don't know." She shook her head and felt a little embarrassed that she'd said it.

Nick leaned across the console and his glasses reflected the headlights that pulled up behind them. Sawyer was taken in an instant and he kissed her cheek. "I thought you wanted to head out early anyway?" It was a rhetorical question so he got out of the car and so did she.

They strolled up the driveway hand in hand and walked into Nathan and Haley's house to see a swarm of family and friends enjoying the party. It seemed all of Tree Hill had stopped by. When they were kids, the party had consisted of close friends and family members, but these days nearly all of Tree Hill stopped by for cocktails and h'orderves. Her aunt and uncle were pretty famous, and people liked to mingle in the yuletide cheer. Her aunt and uncle weren't the only ones people stopped by to see, though. Sawyer's dad, Brooke, and Julian also had their own company. But, Nathan and Haley always seemed to be the ones people gravitated toward the most. It probably had something to do with Haley's insane ability to cook anything and everything, but that was just the way it was.

The duo made their rounds as a couple and smiled and made small talk with people for the first twenty minutes of being at the part. Once Nick started talking sailing with Graham, Sawyer spotted a nine year old who needed a swift lesson in Wii athletics.

Walking up to the young Scott boy, Sawyer bumped him with her hip and tilted her head towards the other room. "So I heard you want a rematch?"

After getting a coke he was sure would keep him up till Santa came, Bennet took a swig and nodded with a cute smirk. "Only if you're ready to loose."

"Oh...well, well, someone's gotten a little pompous, haven't they?" Sawyer started to smirk as she walked with Bennet towards the Wii.

"I don't know what that means." Bennet shrugged and proceeded to start the Wii bowling game he was sure he would win.

Sawyer and Jamie and Liza's nine year old son played neck in neck for first five frames and then Sawyer took the lead with a strike. Bennet threw a gutter ball his next turn and wound up with a goose egg for points. His enthusiasm tanked after that. On the eighth frame he was over it and thought hanging with his cool grandpa sounded better. Seeing an easy out, Bennet held out the remote to a tall Coastie he'd known since he was little. "Here, Ben. You play her. I can't win."

Ben didn't get a chance to say anything to the young boy but couldn't help but laugh at Bennet's words.

Sawyer saw the irony in them and rolled her eyes. "You don't have to. We can stop." Sawyer started to turn around but heard the game applaud as Ben swung the controller to roll his ball down the lane. She turned back to Ben and saw him grin. "Or we can finish."

Sawyer felt a strange sense of comfort wash over her as she and Ben finished her and Bennet's game. They started a new one and she tossed her ball to get seven pins. As much fun as it was, Sawyer couldn't avoid the pink elephant in the room. "So you're back, huh?"

Nodding, Ben looked to his ex. "I tried to call but..."

Sawyer started to immediately shake her head. "I've been really busy with contractors and construction people. The house is taking forever to get fixed. Most of the time I leave my phone places I won't find it so I don't have to talk to them. They keep telling me bad news." Sawyer looked to Ben and realized he probably had no idea what she was talking about. "I uh...did Graham tell you about what happened?"

Ben knew exactly what had happened but nodded to go along with the story that fit best. "Yeah. A little. I heard you were in a coma?"

"Yeah, something like that." Shrugging, she rolled her eyes. "You know me. I did what everyone told me not to and stayed through the storm." She laughed at herself and shrugged. "I think I learned my lesson though..."

Ben started to smile and shook his head. "And I even came by the house to give you that flyer."

"I know. I know. I'm terrible." Sawyer hung her head and nodded with a laugh. "Lucille was a real bitch, though. Tore through the house like a knife in cheese."

Ben had seen the house, everything that was broke could be fixed. "But you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She pulled up her sleeve and showed him the scar. "I've got a lovely little reminder, but other than that..." Sawyer felt his eyes on her arm and looked up to meet his blue eyes. Something in the way he looked at her struck Sawyer as odd. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Well I'm glad you're okay." It came out as generic as it could.

"Yeah, me too." She nodded. "I guess I can thank some no-named EMT if I ever figure out who he is."

"What do you mean?" Ben was going to play dumb hoping he didn't give anything away. As far as he knew, she still had no idea he'd been the one to pull her from that bathtub.

Shrugging, Sawyer sighed. "I don't know. Whoever got me outta the house is some mystery rescue squad guy or something. I tried to track him down after the accident but got nowhere. He must have been in the crews from neighboring states."

"Yeah, I saw a bunch of guys from all over when I got in town."

Thinking the same thing, Sawyer nodded, "That's what I'm thinking. Guess I'll never know." She shrugged and looked to the television screen. "You're up."

Ben knew he was up but he was more preoccupied with the fact that Sawyer still didn't know he'd been there. That was a good thing as far as he was concerned. He knew that if she ever found out it would only complicate things. Especially now. Now that he was back it was better if it was swept under the rug completely. Sawyer had Nick. He didn't want to mess up something that seemed to make her happy. If she was happy he was happy. Sure, Ben couldn't deny the fact that he still cared about her in some sort of way but it didn't mean he had to act on it. His move back to North Carolina hadn't all been because of her. He had Charlotte and Graham here, his eight month old God-daughter was here, and he loved the guys at the base like family.

While Ben took his turn Sawyer, started to talk about the one thing that would certainly tie them together in Tree Hill for a while. It wasn't Hattie or Charlotte or Graham. It was their dog. "So about Trout? What do we want to do with him? I know you're gonna want to see him more." She'd never thought about how it would be with Trout if Ben ever moved back but they were gonna have to figure it out now. They were grown adults who could handle this. Sawyer had gotten Trout for _them_ years ago. Trout wasn't hers and he wasn't just his. They'd shared him from day one.

"How bout I get him on the weekends? Or..."

Sawyer started to smirk at the idea of an every weekend or every other weekend type arrangement. They weren't in a custody battle. "Why don't you come get him when you want?" She shrugged and looked to her ex. "You don't have to wait for weekends. If you want him on a random...Tuesday then come get him. Just call me."

"So kind of an open door policy?" Ben could handle that. He knew where her spare key was if Trout was inside and he was sure he wouldn't have trouble getting the golden retriever to hang with him whenever he needed a friend.

"Sure..."

"Hey Sawyer..." Bennet ran back up to the blonde and saw that her sleeve had been pushed up. "Can I see your scar?" Little boys were always interested in the strangest of things.

"Uh...yeah." Sawyer held out her arm for Bennet to admire. She looked to Ben with a raised brows as if to set their deal in stone. He nodded and Bennet continued to stir the conversation.

"It's so cool. I remember when it was all bandaged up. She was in the hospital, you know." Bennet turned to Ben and nodded. "I went and saw her."

So did Ben, but Sawyer didn't remember seeing anyone's faces until after she woke up. "So I heard." Sawyer smiled at the boy and laughed. "And your dad told me you wanted a re-match but you bailed on me."

That had been true. Bennet looked up to the screen and saw that Ben had gotten a strike last time and was now leading Sawyer. "Well I can play now."

Ben looked to the boy and handed him the controller. "Here, I think you can take her from here."

"Thanks!" Bennet took the controllers wide eyed and Ben started to walk away.

Sawyer watched the blue eyed Coastie turn away from her and she got a strange feeling to call him back to their bowling game but didn't. There were others he wanted to mingle with so Sawyer and Bennet played a little bit longer until Nick walked her way.

"Hey, Nick. Can you bowl?" Bennet liked playing with Sawyer but he wanted some fresh competition. Nick looked more fun to play with than his four year old little sister.

Nick grimaced and laughed, "Uh...I'm not really..."

Sawyer knew her boyfriend wasn't an athlete but handed him the controller anyway. It wasn't a contact sport, this bowling stuff was virtual. He'd have fun. "You'll do fine." She quickly kissed his cheek and watched the two start to play. Sawyer headed towards the kitchen to get a refill and saw her aunt and an older woman talking. The older women wasn't a family member but a former teacher of Sawyer's. Nearly all of the kids had had Mrs. Elmore for fifth grade and Sawyer was sure all of the woman's gray hairs had been on account of her. Wanting to turn around, Sawyer tried to avoid conversation but Haley spotted her niece and waved her over.

Why did her aunt have to be friends with everyone? Sawyer put on a fake smile and walked toward her elementary school teacher. "Hi, Mrs. Elmore, how are you?"

The woman nodded but looked to Sawyer's arm. "I think I'm the one who should be asking you, Sawyer. I heard you had quite the scare?"

"Yes ma'am." Sawyer felt like she was eleven again. "You know me. Always trying to defy the odds." She let out a small laugh. For some reason being around a former teacher made Sawyer nervous. They weren't even talking about math, but the twenty-eight year old felt like she was going to be scolded for not showing her work on her long division homework.

Mrs. Elmore nodded and knew defying the odds was the absolute truth about Sawyer Scott. Even when she was younger, she had that same adventurous attitude. It had gotten her in trouble back then and it wasn't terribly surprising that it had followed her with age. It was always so strange though. All the Scott children were so gentile. Sawyer was the odd ball of the group. Even little Davis Baker had been easier. "Haley tells me it was blood poisoning?"

Nodding, Sawyer glanced to her arm. "Apparently I had a cut that got infected."

The women went on to talk about Sawyer and Hurricane Lucille's knock down-drag out fight. Sawyer used humor to try and coat the severity of what could have been and was happy they could change conversations when Nick started to walk towards them. "Oh, Mrs. Elmore this is my boyfriend, Nick." As he stepped next to Sawyer's side she looked up to him. "This is Helen Elmore. She was my fifth grade teacher."

Laughing because he couldn't imagine what a fifth grade Sawyer was like he introduced himself. "Nick Beasley. Nice to meet you."

"You know, Sawyer was just telling me all about her little ordeal. I can't imagine what that must have been like for you."

Sawyer was sick of talking about her accident and leaned into Nick. "Oh he was fine. He probably even liked my down time." That wasn't true at all. Nick's brow immediately started to furrow and he wanted to correct her but his girlfriend just kept going with a smile on her face. "I'm sure I was much easier to deal with in the unconscious state."

The words that were coming out of her mouth felt like a blow to his gut. He'd absolutely been worried to death about her, and even if she was a bit of a handful he would have traded anything for her to wake up sooner than she had. Nick didn't appreciate the way she was going on about how things had unfolded so he cleared his throat and looked at his watch. "Well I was thinking about taking this _handful_ home." He was trying bring sarcastic humor to his words and smiled at the older women in front of them. "It was really nice to meet you, Mrs. Elmore." Nick turned to Haley and thanked her for the hospitality. "And thank you for having us, Haley."

"You know you two are welcomed any time." Sawyer's aunt smiled and nodded at the two twenty-somethings.

Sawyer couldn't be happier when she'd heard Nick and wanted nothing more than to get out of the house. She loved the food and getting to see people she hadn't in a while, but Sawyer was ready to head to Nick's house. "Mrs. Elmore it was great to see you."

"You as well, dear. Take care."

"Aunt Haley, the sandwiches were as awesome as ever." The blonde hugged her aunt and smiled. "Merry Christmas."

Haley hugged her niece and nodded. "Merry Christmas, Sawyer."

Sawyer and Nick made the rounds of giving out a few more Merry Christmas hugs before they headed outside. The temperature had dropped lower but Sawyer loved that she could see her breath. She got into the passenger side of Nick's car and smiled in his direction as he got in. "Thanks for getting us out of there."

"Do you really think it was easy for me." He looked at her and thought about how it wasn't only him who'd been affected. Her parents had been along for the ride as well. "For _us_?" Nick was getting straight to the point. He'd felt a sting of betrayal from Sawyer's earlier conversation. "Sawyer, you were in that hospital for ten days. I wasn't _fine_."

His small outburst seemed to come from nowhere. "What are you talking about?"

"In the house..." Nick tilted his head. "You told your teacher that I was fine when you were hurt. You said that I probably enjoyed the ease of your unconscious state!" He furrowed his brow and started the car. "I...Wha...Is that really what you think?" He was dumbfounded at her statement and shook his head.

"Nick, I was only trying to get the woman to stop talking about it. Of course I know you weren't okay." Sawyer had the same furrowed brow that he did.

He laughed a little and shook his head. "I don't think you do." They hadn't really talked about it, so how could she? They'd gone from her waking up to moving on like nothing had really happened. Maybe he should have said something, but he hadn't. Now he was. "I was an absolute disaster, Sawyer. I mean my mom was to the point where she wasn't only worried about you, but she was worried about me too." His parents had come to town for a few days to support him while he dealt with the woman he loved.

Sawyer wasn't entirely sure what to say. "Nick...I don't know what happened to me. There's a whole span of ten days I do not remember, so I'm sorry if I brush most of it off. I guess I'd rather poke fun and make jokes than get upset." She took a deep breath and turned to him in the darkness of the car. "I didn't mean to make it seem like you didn't care. I know you did. You still _do_." As far she she knew, Nick was still very much in love with her as she was with him.

"I just...sometimes I don't think you know what you're saying or how it affects other people."

She nodded, "You're right. I've always been bad about that. I admit that..."

"Then why do you still do it?"

His question was like a knife in her chest. She didn't know. Because old habits died hard? Looking away, Sawyer shrugged as she glanced out of the window. "I don't know." Sawyer was starting to feel a heavy sinking in her heart because she knew that he must have gone through hell along with her family back in October. She looked back to him and reached for Nick's hand. "I'm sorry for everything that happened. I am. I never meant to put you through any of it."

He shook his head and his warm eyes met hers. "I know you didn't. I just..." Nick looked down and then back to her. "I need to know that you understand what I was feeling."

Nodding, Sawyer thought that would do her some good. "Then tell me. Tell me what you hated, what scared you; everything... I _should_ know these things."

The fact that she was already so invested in getting to the bottom of the way her ordeal impacted him made Nick feel a lot better about what he'd been upset about. She cared. In her own Sawyer Scott way, she cared. It may have taken a little longer to get out of her than he would've liked but she cared.

Nick started to back out of the driveway and drove towards his house as he told her the things that had him torn up when she'd gotten hurt. It was a good conversation for them to have. They probably needed this. Since that hurricane passed through town they'd been a little off as a couple. They still were the happy twosome they'd been, enjoyed the same things, and were comfortable with each other, but something had been off. Now things were starting to get back on track.

What they didn't know was that the track they were on was headed for a fork in the road. Right now they were headed in the same direction but in the coming months they'd realize their paths would separate, and it was gonna be up to Sawyer to decide which route she'd end up taking.

Time, truth, and her father's book were going to fundamentally persuade everything Sawyer knew or thought she knew. She'd find a clarity and peace of mind in the elements, and Sawyer Scott and Nick Beasley were either going to make it or not.

**OTHOTH**

Tric was Sawyer's most favorite place in the world. It was her second most favorite place on days she went to go eat Mexican. K-38 and Tower 7 were winners in that department flip-flopping the ultimate top spot depending on which restaurant she went to. Today she was headed to K-38. But before she could sink her teeth into some cheese dip that made her mouth water and drink a margarita that set the mood for the rest of the day, she needed to run through some things at work. The newest album she and her mom had produced needed to be checked to make sure the song list matched up with the music before they shipped it off to guys who mass produced copies.

December had come and gone and spring was now in the air. April had come with a heavy dose of rainfall but Sawyer didn't mind. Her favorite Mexican spots wouldn't wash away.

Eying the clock, Sawyer knew she wanted to leave soon and had one more track to listen to. As long as it sounded good and matched up with the song list then she'd be good to go. The last thirty seconds of the song finished up and she knew that everything was just fine. Perfect in two ways. The CD was flawless and she'd be getting over to K-38 in a hurry.

Two sets of heels clacked across Tric's wooden floors and Sawyer looked up. Her two aunts had come in to meet Peyton for lunch and she smiled at them. "Mom's finishing up a track in the studio. She'll be out in a minute."

Haley sat down in Peyton's chair and put her purse on the desk. "So what are you up too, Sawyer? Wanna come to lunch with us?"

Shaking her head, Sawyer politely declined. "I would, but I'm headed to Mexican in about..." The blonde looked at her watch and laughed. "...right now."

Brooke laughed and arched her brow with a rasp in her voice. "Meeting Nick?"

"No, Charlotte and Annie." Over the last few months Annie Marks had quickly become a third member of Charlotte and Sawyer's tight twosome. Annie had been the nurse everyone had taken such a liking to when Sawyer was in the hospital. Charlotte struck up a friendship and that was that. Annie had become one of the girls. It wasn't like the friendship ran as deep as the one Sawyer had with Charlotte but they were new friends. They'd normally do something a couple times a month together. The first time they met the blonde knew the girl could hold her own and liked her instantly.

_The hospital bed had to be the least comfortable thing she'd ever slept on but Sawyer knew she wasn't going to get a heavenly cloud to sleep on like she did when she was home. Hospitals weren't hotels. _

_She'd just woken up as the morning sun came through the hospital windows and Sawyer started to stretch. It was the first night she'd slept and actually woken up. She'd only been awake from Lucille's wrath less than twelve hours and for the majority of that time she'd fallen back asleep. She was taking in the sunrise and the calming affect it had on her mind when she heard her door open. _

_A young auburn haired nurse walked toward her and smiled. "Oh, hi. You're awake."_

"_Yeah, these beds suck. So..." Sawyer didn't recognize the girl but figured she'd been on the team that had helped her through the last ten days or so._

_Laughing at Sawyer's perky attitude the young twenty-six year old nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that." She walked closer to her bed and introduced herself. "I'm Annie. Nice to see you awake."_

_That name sounded familiar and Sawyer squinted like her dad. "Wait? Are you the Annie? The one everyone gushed about last night?"_

_A cute smile slipped from Annie's mouth and she tried to find a way to best answer that question. "Maybe? I guess so."_

_Before she'd fallen asleep last night, everyone who'd come to the hospital to see Sawyer alive and well told her about the young nurse who'd been an absolute blessing. Apparently she'd been the one who called Peyton about the accident and admitted her in the hospital. "So you were downstairs when they brought me in, huh? How bad did I look?" Sawyer kinda wanted to know and why not ask the person who had that answer._

_Annie nodded and didn't know if she should tell Sawyer she looked ghostly pale, on the brink of death like. "Well..."_

"_No seriously, you can tell me." Sawyer didn't want to tiptoe around the subject. She wanted a straight answer. "Was I all pale or blue or something?"_

_Nodding, Annie narrowed her eyes and looked to the girl in the hospital bed. "Yeah. Your lips were blue and that cut was pretty nasty. You were lucky to get in here when you did."_

"_Did you see the guy who brought me in? I can't get a name or anything."_

_Considering her time with the family, Annie knew not to tell Sawyer so went with a general answer instead. "Just some rescue guy. I never got his name." That part was the truth._

"_Damn." Furrowing her brow, Sawyer leaned back in her pillows. "Was he cute at least?" She laughed at herself but thought it might be worth a shot. Nick was her guy but that didn't mean she couldn't get a mental image of the guy who more or less saved her life._

"_Yes. As a matter of fact he was really good looking." Annie blushed a little bit and Sawyer noticed._

"_Well tell me more." Sawyer intrigued. She wanted to know more and enjoyed the company. It sure beat the empty sounds of a hospital and this Annie girl seemed pretty cool._

_The girls went on to talk a little bit about Sawyer's hero without revealing too much detail. Annie didn't have a lot to go off of but when Ben had come to the hospital to check on Sawyer he'd left a lasting impression. They ended up talking about him and then changed courses in conversation and talked about a little bit of everything until Annie was paged away. Sawyer hardly agreed with the majority on anything but she went with her family's opinion on the girl. She liked the nurse everyone seemed to adore. It was the beginning of a friendship that had grounds to last a while._

The door of the studio opened up and Peyton smiled at her two friends and daughter. "Let me log this track and I'll be ready to go."

"P. Scott when are you gonna hand the company over to Sawyer so we won't have to wait on you to do lunch?"

Peyton laughed at Brooke and shrugged as she pushed a few buttons on her computer. She glanced at Sawyer and shook her head. "I don't know if she's ready."

"Oh please..." Haley laughed and looked to her niece. "Sawyer's ready. You just don't wanna quit what you love." Haley had enough experience to know that Sawyer had the knowledge and skills to take over the family business with a success rate that might even surpass Peyton's.

Peyton nodded and walked past Sawyer with a smile. "One of these days, though."

Sawyer watched her mom and aunts walk by her and she looked at Peyton with a raised brow. "Sooner rather than later, right?"

"We'll see." Peyton put her sunglasses on and nodded. "If you're done with that CD you won't have to come back. Leave early?"

Awesome. Sawyer was down with that. "Sounds good to me."

"Bye, Sawyer!" Brooke called out a goodbye as the three women left and Sawyer quickly finished up what she was doing so she could leave.

Driving like hell on wheels, Sawyer made it to K-38 in record time and saw Charlotte sitting at a table with a basket of chips calling her name. Sawyer sat down and immediately scooped up more salsa than she could actually fit in her mouth. "Hey."

"Hey." Charlotte smiled at her best fried and laughed at the ginormous bite Sawyer stuffed in her mouth.

"Don't judge. I've been thinking about this all day." She looked to the empty seat and furrowed her brow. "Where's Annie?"

"On her way. She got held up." Charlotte took a sip of her water and watched the waiter put down three margaritas.

Sawyer's eyes got wide and she smiled. "Charlotte Scott McFarland. I love you."

Laughing, Charlotte smiled. "I do know you pretty well, don't I."

"Yes. Yes you do."

Charlotte laughed and looked to the empty seat. "And actually it's probably good that Annie's not here yet. I uh... Before she springs it on you or...whatever..." Charlotte wasn't sure how Sawyer was going to take the news but knew it would best come from her mouth and not Annie's. "She and Ben are kinda dating now."

The tequila stung a little as she sipped her drink but Sawyer nodded. "Oh. Well I can see that."

"Yeah. I think Hattie's birthday party was kind of the beginning?" Charlotte's question lingered in the air because she wasn't sure how it really happened.

But Sawyer was sure; she'd been there to see it all.

_Sawyer was still wondering how Hattie was one already. It was crazy to think that a full year had passed since that little squirt had been born. The celebration at Charlotte and Graham's was in full swing and Sawyer found herself picking up a few of the discarded paper plates from the dining room. It wasn't in her nature to clean but Sawyer knew Charlotte and Graham were gonna have their hands full and it was the least she could do. It wasn't like it was gruesome manual labor. Tossing a few things away and tidying up wasn't gonna kill her. _

_After she had successfully dumped all the cake crumbs and melted ice-cream in the trash, Sawyer saw the cups on the kitchen counter and started to toss the lingering liquid in the sink._

"_I got a few more."_

_Sawyer turned around and saw Ben with an armful of cups and she couldn't help but laugh at him. He had a party hat on and it was a little sideways on his head, but just like he always did, Ben Trammell could pull it off. _

_He started to smile and nodded towards her clothes, grinning at the icing hand print on Sawyer's stomach. "Forget that food goes in your mouth?" He laughed at the spot and started to grin._

_Looking down at the smudge Hattie had smacked on her shirt, Sawyer shrugged. "This is Hattie's doing. I think it was a love smudge. Clearly it means I'm her favorite." She watched him step next to her and set down the dirty cups. It was amazing how much of a mess and how many paper products people went though at a parties. "I'll get these. Thanks."_

_Ben set them down but wasn't gonna let Sawyer do all the gritty work by herself. He started dumping the finished drinks in the sink and he couldn't help but notice how in sync they were in their motions. It was like they'd been doing this kind of thing for years. She noticed it too, and wasn't sure how it made her feel. Was this the way things would be? Could they have a friendship that was purely platonic and this comfortable without being weird? They'd done a good job so far. Four months and they'd been perfectly cordial. _

_Sawyer took a deep breath and looked to the blue eyed Coastie with a smile. She gazed up to his face and the fresh cut embedded within his right brow sparked her interest. Out of instinct, she turned to him and gently rubbed her thumb by his sewn up little gash. "What happened here?"_

_Shrugging it off, the blue eyed Coastie laughed. "Nothing."_

"_It's not nothing." Sawyer wasn't buying it and smiled at him with worried eyes. "I can see the stitches."_

_Running his hand over his wound he'd gotten a few days ago, the Tennessean started to grin. "A taught line on the Diligence popped and got me." Ben had been pretty lucky that it got him where it did. An inch or two down and his eye would have been the target._

"_Ow...I bet that hurt."_

"_Yeah, it did." Ben nodded with a laugh. "First time I'd ever gotten stitches as adult, and I was thoroughly disappointed they didn't give me that Barney medicine."_

_The fact that Ben could mix in Barney with stitches made Sawyer laugh. "Gee, that's...terrible." She was joking but laughed right a long with him. "The only stitches I ever had I don't remember getting." Sawyer looked to her arm and then to Ben. "And I think I should be jealous I never got them as a kid. This Barney medicine must have been excellent."_

"_Oh it was." He looked at her and then back to the sink as he fiddled with an empty cup. "I can't believe Hattie's one already."_

"_I know me either. Where'd the time go?" Sawyer knew they didn't have any other plates or things to deal with but kept up the conversation nonetheless. "Trout's already four. I'll be thirty next year. It's kinda depressing."_

_Ben laughed but shrugged. "You'll age well. I'm the one who's gonna go bald and need glasses." His birthday was in October and was turning the big 3-0 before her._

_Shaking her head, Sawyer turned to Ben. "Nah-uh. You're gonna end up just like your dad." Mr. Trammell was a good looking older guy. Ben would surely be on his dad's path. "How is he, by the way?"_

"_Good. Keeping his finger's crossed that the boys play as well as they did in spring training. He wants to see them win one more world series."_

_Mr. Trammell and Ben were both big baseball fans, and over the years Sawyer had found an enjoyment with the sport as well. Between dating Ben and playing in the annual spring charity game for the Coast Guard a few times, she'd developed a sense of appreciation for America's pastime. "The charity game's coming up, isn't it? You gonna play?"_

"_Yeah. I'm gonna remind Graham why it is he really wanted me to stay in Texas."_

_Sawyer laughed and then she saw Nick walking towards her. Nick and Ben acknowledge each other and the accountant looked to the door. "I have to go into the office. One of the interns screwed up a client's file and..." He looked genuinely annoyed. "I hate to run but..."_

"_It's okay. I'll...see you later." Sawyer knew how important and demanding his job was and stepped away from Ben to kiss Nick before he left. "I love you." It felt like he'd been hauling off to his job more and more lately and was almost asking him instead of telling him she loved him._

"_Love you, too." Nick walked out the door only to let a familiar face inside. _

_The auburn haired girl had just gotten off of work but changed out of her scrubs before heading to the party. Annie had a present wrapped in cute duckling wrapping paper and wasn't really sure where to go until she saw Sawyer in the kitchen. "Hey Sawyer, where should I put..." Annie's question was cut off when she saw the guy next to Sawyer. "Hi."_

"_Hey..." Ben started to smile at the nurse who'd done a pretty good job on his stitches. He was fumbling to remember her name and Sawyer looked from Annie to Ben then back to Annie. She suddenly felt like she needed to excuse herself._

"_Annie...Annie Marks."_

_Ben nodded, "That's right." He grinned and saw the present in her hands. "Here. I'll take that."_

_Both Ben and Annie seemed to forget all about Sawyer and she wasn't liking the cold shoulder routine. "Um...Annie, this is Ben, but I think you already know each other?"_

_Laughing with a sweet smile, Annie nodded. "Yeah, he came in to get stitches." Annie's memory of the man who had rescued Sawyer had hidden itself temporarily. Ben, now, was simply her patient; a cute, loveable, kindhearted patient.  
_

"_Oh, what a...coincidence." Sawyer wanted to roll her eyes at the circumstances but everyone was entitled to their own story; however, she wasn't entirely sure how she liked the long looks between Annie and Ben but there wasn't a whole lot she could do about it. Ben was fair game. Sawyer had Nick and that fourteen month relationship was putting along. Ben wasn't hers to worry about. _

He hadn't been hers to worry about at the birthday party and he still wasn't hers to worry about now. If Annie and Ben wanted to date, then Sawyer would have to be happy for them. Somewhere deep inside she knew she was happy for him.

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late." Annie sat down at the table and looked to Sawyer and Charlotte. "What have I missed?"

"Actually I was just telling Sawyer about you and Ben." Charlotte sipped her drink and turned to Annie.

The auburn haired nurse started to feel her cheeks redden and she smiled. "Yeah. It's crazy..."

Sawyer would play along and ask the typical girlfriend to girlfriend type questions. Only Sawyer would have a little more of a burning desire to know the answers. "So have you had your first date? What's the deal?"

"We did. He took me to the park and we threw the ball for Trout."

That was their date? Was she serious? And Trout was already meeting her? Sawyer wasn't so sure about this and felt like a protective mom. "He took you to the park? With Trout?" She had a small laugh and ate a chip. "What a date." Sawyer's tone was a little condescending

Annie stirred her margarita with a grin. "It was kind of the least romantic but most romantic date I think I've been on."

Sawyer hadn't anticipated that response but then again Annie was talking about Ben. He'd managed to turned bowling into a romantic date night.

Charlotte kept her eyes constantly going back and forth between Annie and Sawyer. She knew that Sawyer would have some sort of reaction whether it was on purpose or accident. Charlotte just never thought Sawyer would get so defensive so quickly.

Annie had a lot of good things to talk about and she couldn't keep it all in."He's really funny. Goofy, even. I don't know. I mean it's like he's an acquired taste." She was beaming as she said it but Sawyer hadn't been paying attention.

"An acquired taste? I think it's just kind of how he is." Sawyer was ready to change topics already. She thought it would be easy to deal with but it wasn't. Whatever lies she'd been telling herself about not caring who Ben dated were clearly wrong.

"Sawyer..." Charlotte could tell that Sawyer was getting a little antsy talking about it and looked to her cousin with a weary eye.

Sawyer took a deep breath and reminded herself that she didn't need to care. She shouldn't. "Well other than Ben how'd the date go? Trout was always kind of awkward playing fetch."

Annie grabbed a chip and nodded. "Yeah he was really only doing it when Ben threw the ball but he came around."

Sawyer's insides started to twist. Trout didn't play fetch with just anyone. He was pretty picky and if he was playing with Annie then maybe the dog saw something in the nurse that Sawyer was so obviously over looking. She was a really nice girl, fun to hang around with, and enjoyed a margarita just like Sawyer but she wasn't for Ben. Ben needed...someone else.

The opinionated blonde was being pretty critical though. Wasn't Nick exactly opposite of who people thought she'd be with? Yes, so she just needed to get over it.

Charlotte knew the conversation had been pretty two sided so she joined in. Knowing that Trout had never been much of a fetch player, the brunette smiled. "So you must be some sort of a dog whisperer to get Trout playing."

"I grew up with a bunch of dogs. My mom's a vet so I..." Annie stopped mid sentence when she heard Sawyer start to violently cough.

It was like as soon as Annie said her mom was a vet a piece of chip lodged itself in Sawyer's windpipe. She started coughing and couldn't stop. Her eyes were welling and she really felt like she couldn't breathe, and even though she knew it was because of a chip she couldn't help but wonder if it was about something else.

"Are you okay?" Charlotte went into worried mom mode and handed Sawyer a glass of water. "Drink this."

The water ran down her throat and Sawyer hoped it would do the trick. The other restaurant patrons had turned to look at her and this whole lunch was turning into a disaster. When she could breathe easy she took a few deep breaths and knew that she needed to dab her napkin over her tear streaked face. "Holy hell. Where did that come from?" She tired to laugh it off and cleared her throat.

"I was about to get ready to administer the Heimlich." Annie looked across the table with a laugh "You think you're fine?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Sawyer nodded and took another sip of her water. "But actually...you know, I might hit the restroom to fix my face." She was sure that her sudden breathing problem and watery eyes did a disservice to her face. She went into the bathroom and stared at herself int the mirror. What was she doing? Why was she feeling jealous of Annie and Ben. Or was it just Annie? What was the deal?

"Hey...?" Charlotte walked in the door and saw her friend standing in front of the mirror. "Are you okay?"

Turning around to look at her cousin, Sawyer slowly shrugged. "What's wrong with me, Charlotte?" Sawyer shook her head. "I mean I thought I'd be okay. Ben and I split up years ago. I'm with Nick and..."

Charlotte felt bad for Sawyer but asked a question she knew Sawyer may have been avoiding for a while. "How are things with you and Nick?"

Glancing at her reflection, Sawyer shrugged. "I don't know. Some days we hardly talk. Some days we're on fire. I don't know." Maybe things weren't as good as she thought or hoped. She thought they'd been going well, but suddenly Sawyer was realizing they weren't going anywhere at all. "Ugh...I don't know. I mean I still love him, and I know he loves me but it's like ever since my accident we haven't been the same."

"But you love him?"

"Yes, I love him." Sawyer reached for a rough paper towel and blotted at her eyes. "I don't know why it feels like we're stuck." She shrugged and looked at herself in the mirror again. "Shit. My face looks worse now than it did when I came in here."

Charlotte tried not to laugh. "Well look, why don't you get yourself together and you can either come back and join us, or if you need to go...listen to music really loud, then do that. Whatever you need to do."

Sawyer loved that Charlotte knew her so well. A nice ride in her car might do her good. She could crank up her stereo and disturb the peace with her loud music. It might make her feel a little better. She hated to skip out on Mexican but right now there were other things that took priority. Figuring out what in the world her emotions were doing to her was number one on the list.

Charlotte had a feeling that Sawyer would opt out of lunch, and she went back to the table and was able to cover for her with Annie.

Outside of the restaurant, Sawyer left the Mexican venue in her dust as she stepped on the gas and pressed the clutch reveling in the way it made her feel. Driving a stick shift could cure just about anything. Her music was loud enough for anyone in her path to hear and Sawyer let the lyrics from Joker and his Aces fuel her getaway. The new CD she and her mom worked on sounded excellent blaring through her speakers, and as Sawyer drove aimlessly around, she'd been able to think about her little predicament. She probably was having a bad day. Annie and Ben were cute together, good together. She and Nick were _fine_, and her mixed emotions about whatever had just happened must have been from pent up stress.

Everything was fine.

Her car jaunt had taken her down familiar roads and suddenly Sawyer found herself back at her favorite spot. Tric would always give her comfort and she pulled in the gravel parking lot ready to get back to work. She didn't have anything to do and her mom told her she could leave early but if something was ever troubling her mind music was always a nice way to clear her mind.

Sawyer walked inside and said hello to Neil and then headed to the studio. Her mom and aunts were still at lunch which was just fine with the younger Scott so she did a whole lot of nothing for a while.

About an hour or so later she figured she could start to head home because Nick would be getting off work. A nice night in with him sounded pretty good. The CD Red Bedroom Records was gonna ship was still on her desk so before she left, Sawyer put it on her mom's desk. When she put down the music something caught her eye and she looked up and over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching.

_Copyright. Lucas Scott _

The fine print was small and Sawyer couldn't read the rest of it but the girl knew what it was. Haley must have finished reading her dad's newest book and left it with Peyton to give back to Lucas.

Moving a few things away, Sawyer studied the front cover in its spiral binding and instinctively turned the page. _Untitled_. That was annoying. Sawyer wanted a name for his new book but it seemed like her dad hadn't chosen one yet. Sawyer flipped the next page and saw the dedication. _For Sawyer_.

"What the hell..." Sawyer knew she shouldn't take it but she did anyway. She grabbed the spiral bound draft and wanted to know just what her dad had written _for_ her. Not wanting to waste time in case her mom decided to pop back in, Sawyer hustled to the door of the office and all but ran down the steps to her car. Her heart was racing and she couldn't figure out why her dad would be writing a book _for_ _her_.

Cranking the engine, Sawyer pulled out of the parking lot but pulled into a nearby residential neighborhood and stopped by the curb. She turned the music down and rested her dad's new book on the steering as she flipped to the first chapter but noticed that there was a brief introduction. She flipped back a page and her father's voice was narrating each word Sawyer read.

_Elbert Hubbard once wrote, "The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods."_

_Mistakes can shape peoples' entire lives. They can bend rules and break hearts; and when something so powerful as the lies well tell ourselves in the name of something true becomes the very foundation of our being, then we must counteract these mistakes. Forgiveness is the first step to getting there, and that is exactly what she needed. Sawyer had to forgive herself to find what she was looking for. It would lead her to him._

Sawyer's throat went dry and her mouth fell open. This story wasn't only _for_ her, this was _about_ her. She blindly flipped through the couple hundred pages and saw her aunt's notes scattered along various pages. It couldn't be real. Was this really her story?

Sawyer didn't want to find out on the side of the road and put the book in her passenger seat and started to head to her house.

Wrapped within the pages of her father's words, Sawyer would find the answers she was looking for. But more than that, she'd fill holes that had been left opened in her past and read an ending to her story only to decide if she liked it or not. Her father wrote love stories, and Sawyer had no doubt that hers would be more of the same. She just didn't know if fiction would match up with reality.

**OTHOTH**

**So...Sawyer's got her dad's book. How do you think he ends her story? Hmm, I wonder what good or bad could come of that? I imagine a confrontation between Lucas and Sawyer is coming soon- whether it be about the book in general or who he has her end up with. As for the relationships: Sawyer and Nick seem to be in a rut, but they may not stay there. Ben's back and dating someone knew, and he and Annie look like their starting to heat up. Are these two couples endgame? Maybe? Maybe not. You know me, I'll never tell. Hope you liked it. More to come next time!**

**My reviewers: Thank you! You Sawyer reviewers are seriously the best. How many of you who continue to review and the fact that you review diligently fuel my fingers to no end. If I wasn't so swamped I would literally write every day for y'all. Thank you!**

**Anon: Yup, the triangle as returned. Although I guess we should make that a quadrangle with Annie in the mix. Nick and Ben...oh the choice. Ha, well I'll say that I like both of them for very different reasons. I can see the appeal in them both and I think Sawyer does too which makes this mess even harder than it needs to be. As for endgame, it could probably realistically be either of them or someone entirely new. Good to know you're team Nick though.**

**2old4oth: Yeah, I know. Sawyer's chapters tend to be long. I can't help it. I feel like there is sooo much story to tell with her. And yeah, that meeting between Nick and Ben was definitely awkward. I think that will remain as long as they are around each other. I'm glad you liked Ben and Trout (I'm a big fan of those two, lol) and that Ben was the one who got her. You know I had to throw that in there to stir the pot. And as of now she still doesn't know who saved her but I think she'll be finding out very soon. ;).**

**Someone who forgot to sign their name: Yay, I'm so happy to know that you are a fan of Naley but love Sawyer's story. Somehow that's really endearing. It's also good to know you're team Ben. I think I've got a pretty nice of readers when it comes to that. The Lucas and Peyton comparison wasn't on accident, but it also shouldn't necissarily put Ben ahead of Nick- I just used that as an throwback kind of tool. And can I say that I think your dog's name, Gilligan, is adorable. That's really cute. About your predictions: Good ideas but I'll have to shoot them down. I did laugh really hard at the though of Chris Keller Junior, LOL! The idea about two doesn't pertain to why that number is important to Sawyer but you might be right about something. Maybe not, though. Lol, I know, I'm terrible. I try not to give everything away.**

**Aloyalfan: Another team Ben member! I feel like I need to write these down to see how everyone is feeling. I feel like Sawyer's love life is a seesaw when it comes to who people want her to end up with, ha. Oh man, throwing in OJ was something I couldn't not do. I love that he called her when they dated so I'll throw it in the story when I see it appropriate. I really liked your idea bout Jamie being with Sawyer as it would have tied into the show really nicely but I didn't go down that route. As much as Sawyer's story parallels with her parents, hers does take its own course.**

**Joan: Sushi guy will be revealed in a...few chapters...I think. It won't be _too_ long depending on how long certain things take me but it shouldn't be too long. Before chapter 20 I would nearly guarantee. Sooner, probably but I don't want to miss-guess. I'm happy you enjoyed the Peyton and Ben stuff. I liked writing them together. **

**Shellbee64: you have your PMs disabled so I'm replying here. Another team Ben it seems! Nick is quiet, but I think that's kinda what draws Sawyer to him. He's so opposite of what she would normally fall for. Bhaha, I could see a Ben and Nick fight, especially when you mentioned the part when Nicks' holding Trout back, but that won't happen. Fist may fly in this story but it won't be between them. I'm so glad that you are liking Sawyer even though you weren't a fan of LP. That means a lot!**

**Gabby 23: You have your PMs disabled so I'm replying here. Oh, don't worry about not reviewing until a few weeks after last chapter was posted. A review is a review. When J enters the picture the drama will have subsided so it won't be too much for Sawyer to handle. I don't watch 90210 so I have no clue who Max is but I guess that's a compliment that Nick's like him? I don't know but I'll gladly take it. Good to know you're team Ben. It may help swing the pendulum his way.**

**Review Please!**


	14. Everyday I Write the Book

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 14: Everyday I Write the Book**

**Disclaimer- Guess what? I ran out of creative things to put here. Make up your own catchy little disclaimer that tells my readers I don't own anything related to the show. **

**AN: Thanks again to Mr. Costello for providing awesome chapter titles for this story. Always been a big fan of his and it's crazy to think about how well his songs match with Sawyer's life. But aside from that little tid-bit, this chapter is heavy and emotional. A certain book will be read and Sawyer will have to come to terms with particular revelations. Hmm...wonder what that means? And, unlike most of the other chapters, this one does not span a whole lot of time. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The sun was starting to fall from the sky as the mid May afternoon came to a close. The opinionated blonde knew that as night started to creep over town, people would start showing up at her door. Sawyer wasn't much of an entertainer, but tonight she would be. Tonight was a special occasion. After seven long months of construction workers, blue tarps, and lots of ass-crack, all the renovations and repairs were finally done on her house. The tree that spliced through the back half of the house had been chopped up a long time ago, and now things were looking like normal. Hurricane Lucile left Sawyer's comfy little home in disarray but now it was _finally_ fixed. She and Nick, and a handful of their friends were going to celebrate.

It had been Charlotte's idea really. Why not invite everyone over for dinner to "christen" Sawyer's newly mended home? It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Slipping her top over her head, Sawyer glanced at her reflection in her bedroom mirror and scoffed at the wrinkles that were beginning to show their ugly little lines. She was twenty-nine, and thirty already seemed too close for comfort.

Something else a little unsettling was the mass of pages that she'd tucked beneath her bedside table. Sawyer could see a tiny bit of her father's newest book showing itself from its hiding place, and the blonde took a deep breath. She hadn't finished it yet. She hadn't really even started. Sawyer had tried to, but she found reading about _herself_ was strange and uncomfortable. It was a feeling she couldn't quite describe. Not only that, but she'd been asked _not_ to read it. Charlotte found out Sawyer had the book and they'd had a less than friendly exchange about it. They'd since made up and gotten past the book issue, but the day she'd 'stolen' it off her mom's desk was the day Sawyer realized her father's words weren't intended for her eyes.

_Sawyer was driving home alone but felt like she had a passenger riding with her. That spiral bound draft of some untitled novel was her silent plus one as she drove away from Tric. Even with the pages closed, Sawyer could already hear it talking. What came from those pages was going to be hard to read. It was her life. Hers. She didn't need her father's voice narrating her life, but she couldn't help but feel obligated to take it and to read it._

_As the book's main character turned towards home, Sawyer started to wonder how it even came to fruition. What gave her dad the right to create a story about her life? Shouldn't he have asked? Did she miss something? Had he asked or told her he was going to? Was she mad at him for doing it? Sawyer didn't know and couldn't remember, but the answers to those questions really didn't matter. If anyone was going to edit or even read a book about Sawyer Scott, it was going to be the music-loving, opinionated blonde herself._

_Once she pulled into the driveway, Sawyer reached for her dad's draft and took it inside. She greeted Trout at the door and found a comfortable spot on the couch. She had about an hour to kill before Nick came over from work, so she'd figured she'd get lost between the lines of an unpublished book._

_It was weird though. She was nervous. Sawyer wasn't sure what she'd read or how her father would depict her. Would she feel good or bad about the book's main character? Where did it start, and where did it end? Who was in the book? Was Nick? Ben? Dillon? There were a million questions burning through her mind and Sawyer flipped past the introduction to the first chapter knowing that she should go ahead and read instead of keep wondering._

_The words on the page were staring back at the main character and Sawyer took a deep breath. She pulled her knees up under her and rested her eyes on the first sentence._

"_Sawyer Scott was destined for a life filled with a sense of unavoidable turmoil from the very beginning. The day she came into this world helped set up the motions that would forever trace the path of a flawed heroine."_

_Furrowing her brow, Sawyer squinted at the words. "Flawed? Gee, thanks Dad." Rolling her eyes, she continued._

"_By the time she'd left for college, Sawyer had become one of the most independent spirits anyone could ever know. She wasn't one to listen when she was asked to do something, she didn't like to be wrong, and her passion for music often strayed her off course. It hadn't been intended, but music would simply lead Sawyer down a unequivocal road lined with wrong-doings and learning curves..."_

_Sawyer winced and shook her head. "What the hell does that mean?" She let the question rest in the air around her as she glanced at the words in front of her. "Wrong-doings and learning curves?" The young woman was beginning to wish she'd never opened the book, but she kept going._

"_Her journey to find happiness and adulthood would..."_

_She didn't want to read what her dad thought her journey encompassed. How did he even know? Sawyer was two paragraphs in and she was getting annoyed already. She skimmed what her father wrote and landed on a section that looked more interesting._

"_... She was much like her mother in that way. The very foundation of her being was set with rhythmical tones, and without a doubt..."_

_The front door of Sawyer's home opened and the blonde turned to the brunette who walked through the doorway._

_Charlotte smiled at Sawyer. "Hey."_

_Flipping the book shut, Sawyer raised her brow. "Hey."_

"_I wanted to stop by...see how things were." Charlotte felt bad for Sawyer. When her cousin was upset in the K-38 bathroom earlier, Charlotte knew she wanted to check-in._

_Letting out a small laugh with a smile, Sawyer nodded. "Of course you did." She watched Charlotte walk over to her and take a seat in the chair next to the couch._

_Charlotte's first question was going to be about Nick but the brown eyed mom saw something in Sawyer's hands. Her heart fell and she reached out for the spiral bound draft. "Wha...what are you doing with that?"_

_Sawyer quickly pulled the book close to her chest and started to squint. Why did Charlotte seem so bewildered at the sight? "...You knew about this?"_

_Never in a million years did Charlotte think that her best friend would get her hands on the book about her life. Not now at least._

_Seeing the answer in Charlotte's eyes, Sawyer's mouth fell open. "AND you didn't TELL me?" Suddenly the blonde felt betrayed. She laughed sarcastically shaking her head as she tried to think why Charlotte would have kept quiet about it._

"_Sawyer...don't read that." Charlotte had been a part of the compilation of facts- the research team, if you will. She'd had lunches with Lucas to go over certain aspects of the book's main character she could shed some light on. Charlotte knew that what Sawyer held in her hand had more information than Sawyer was ready to handle. "Please."_

"_Don't read this?" Sawyer looked to the book in her hands and then to Charlotte. "What...how do you know so much about it?" Her cousin didn't respond quickly and Sawyer furrowed her brow. "Oh my God. You...you helped, didn't you?" She remembered random occasions when she'd found out that her dad and Charlotte had met up for whatever reason. Now things were starting to click. Her blue eyes started to get angry. "What makes you think going behind my back about this was okay?"_

_Charlotte could tell that Sawyer was getting mad. She had a certain right to. "Well...we didn't think you'd read it now."_

"_First off, we? Who else was a part of this? Second, why is this book so...revealing? It's about me, is it not? What could possibly be in here I don't already know about?" Sawyer's voice started to strengthen in volume as she continued. "Third, I can't believe you. All of you. Fourth, I'm starting to yell and...I don't even care! Fifth...I DON'T HAVE A FIFTH!"_

_Knowing that Sawyer was going to be mad, Charlotte let Sawyer calm down for a few seconds. "It's a story, Sawyer. What's in there...it's not...what you think."_

"_What I think? What I think is that everyone got together to have a lets-write-a-book about Sawyer's little life disasters."_

_She didn't want to laugh, but Sawyer's little eye roll and her claim was far from the truth. Charlotte took a deep breath and shook her head. "You're life is not a disaster, Sawyer. You just happened to have things happen to you that spurred your dad's imagination."_

"_Oh, and THAT makes me feel better?" Sawyer frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "God...I ...hate you. All of you." It was a lot to process. The fact that her dad wrote a book about her was a lot, but now realizing x amount of people contributed was really unnerving. Sawyer wasn't really sure who she was mad at, but whoever had a helping hand in her dad's latest book could all rot in hell. They should have told her what was going on. How hard was that? It wasn't hard at all._

"_I get that you're mad. I do, but whatever your dad wrote in there...it's a story." _

"_MY story." The blonde interrupted her cousin with wide eyes. "My story, so I'd appreciate it if you would stop with the 'it's just a story' shit, because I bet you'd feel different if this was your life, Charlotte. And right now I'm mad at you. Okay? I don't want to hear it. I don't...I don't even...care. I mean I do care, but..." Sawyer had to take a second to breathe._

"_Not everything in there is true to form. It's still a draft and..."_

"_Well thanks for the insight but I think I'll be able to tell what Dad added and took out to please his audience." This was her story. She'd knew what happened. Sawyer was cutting her eyes at Charlotte and really wanted her best friend to leave before Sawyer's emotion turned really ugly._

_Charlotte caught Sawyer's drift and got up. She held her purse against her shoulder and shrugged. "It's a good story. A great one."_

_Sawyer didn't doubt that. She knew what things readers could latch on to. She knew which characters would be lovable and hated. The last ten years of her life provided an excellent backdrop for a story of a girl who never seemed to get things right. Maybe people would root for her? Some people would probably hate her. _

_As Sawyer thought about her dad's latest and greatest, Charlotte slipped out of the house and the front door closed. Left alone in the quiet of her house, Sawyer took a deep breath. Glancing at the spiral bound pages in her lap, Sawyer didn't even want to read it. What good would it do? Maybe she'd hold onto for a rainy day? Right now her anger and hurt towards the people she cared about most in her life had taken away any motivation to continue reading._

_Sawyer got off the couch and headed towards her bedroom. She wanted to put her story somewhere out of sight. She didn't want her mom or dad coming over to try and take it back, so she slid it under her bedside table. It would stay there for now._

Sawyer's eye was taken away from the book when she felt something brush up against her leg. Looking down, Sawyer patted on Trout's side. "You ready for this, Trout? There are gonna be a million people over here we have to entertain."

Not really. A million was a pretty significant exaggeration, but there would be full house. On top of Sawyer and Nick, six other couples were on their way. Charlotte and Graham would likely arrive first. At least Sawyer hoped so. Charlotte was bringing the wine. Keith and Bridget would probably trickle in second. Bridget was making some delicious cheese spread that would probably out-do the main course. Nick's best friend at work, Geoff, and his girlfriend Lucy were bringing dessert. Hopefully it had some chocolate in it, because Sawyer had been craving some all day. This dinner party had the music lover nervous, and since she couldn't drink margaritas all day, chocolate was her next best bet. Little Davis Baker wasn't so little anymore and the twenty-three year old was coming too. He'd been back in Tree Hill from college just a little while, and Sawyer asked him to come so he could be the butt of jokes if conversation ever got dismal. When he was a teenager his crush on the blonde wasn't hard to detect and everyone loved to give Davis a hard time about it, especially Sawyer herself. He wasn't bringing food or wine, he was bringing a date. Sawyer hadn't met her, and she probably wouldn't like her- that was just her nature. But her name was Natalie or Natasha- something like that. Jamie and Liza were supposed to come and bring the salad, but they might be no-shows. Bennet's little league baseball team had been playing in a tournament most of the day, and turns out the kids kept advancing through the bracket with an unbeatable force. Sawyer hadn't heard from them in a while so she figured that the mighty Carolina Cobras were busy doing their thing. And that was fine with her. Salad was her least favorite part of the meal, and if she was a parent who had a kid playing in a baseball game, Sawyer would probably rather be there than here. She had nothing against her friends and family. She loved them, but since her boyfriend was nice Nick, he'd invited another couple.

Annie and Ben were coming and it made Sawyer uncomfortable. She liked them both as individuals. Obviously she liked Ben. He was his same old goofy self; sweet, and charming, and made everyone laugh. Annie was just the same. Her adorable little smile, those humongous green eyes, and the fact that she was always helping others made her more than a good person. She was almost everything Sawyer lacked, which made them compliment friends. But when Sawyer found out that Annie and Ben were now _Annie and Ben_, it had been strange to say the least. Hadn't they become a duo pretty quickly? Maybe, and now the two of them as a _couple_ were coming into her home. Talk about awkward.

Nick didn't know about Sawyer's unsettled feelings towards the twosome, but why would he? They were still kinda in their own funk. Nothing had really changed since she'd all but broken down to Charlotte in the bathroom of K-38 a couple weeks ago. She still loved him. Sawyer loved Nick and he loved her. They were just going through a phase. They'd been together fifteen months. All couples had their own spells. Sawyer and Nick were just stuck in theirs.

Trout's ears perked up at something and he hurried out of the bedroom. Sawyer took one last look in the mirror and followed her dog to the kitchen.

Hard at work, Nick was pulling something out of the oven. He was good at things like this. Thank God he was a good cook, because if Sawyer was the one making dinner, things would have turned disastrous quickly. He sensed her entrance, and turned to look at her.

Sawyer laughed as she walked closer. His glasses had fogged up when he'd opened the oven. She was close to Nick and reached out to take his glasses. "Smells good."

He watched her wipe his glasses off with the end of her shirt and smiled. "Thanks."

Grinning, Sawyer shrugged her shoulders as she slid his glasses back on his face. "It's the least I can do." Nick planted his lips on hers and Sawyer kissed him back, putting her arms around his torso. She looked to him and took a deep breath. "I love you."

Her words were soft and quiet, but he'd heard them. "I love you, too."

This had been a moment the two of them needed; a moment or exchange Sawyer needed to hear and feel. All this stress about Ben and the hurricane were simply distractions. She looked to Nick's dark eyes and didn't' see the glimmer he once had. Where had that spark gone? Sawyer was hoping it was hidden somewhere or that she'd missed it- that it fell out of sight temporarily.

Nick found his stare landing on her face. Sawyer seemed different these days. Even he seemed different. Not a different-good or a different-bad, just different. He knew his job had been taking him away from her and he hated that it did, but they were okay, right? Everything was fine.

The two of them seemed deeply involved in a silent conversation with themselves and each other and then Sawyer turned to the record player. "Any requests?"

"I trust your taste." Nick grinned and knew that whatever record Sawyer put on would be a good one. But it wasn't only her opinion of music that he trusted. He trusted her and their feelings; what they had and how they worked. He knew they were a little off track, both of them did, but Nick also had a feeling that they'd pass over their inevitable wave of uncharted waters. If they could get through a hurricane, they could get through this.

**OTHOTH**

Much to Sawyer's dismay, the dinner party was going pretty well. The food looked great and the general atmosphere was less awkward than she imagined it would be. Sure, when she'd greeted Annie and Ben at the door it had been strange, but Sawyer was determined to push her uncertainties aside and start with a new outlook. She wasn't going to spend the night thinking about them. She had a house to show off.

All of the girls were in the kitchen as the food neared serving. Charlotte ended up bringing wine and a salad since Jamie and Liza were still at the ball park, and Sawyer was picking out the cherry tomatoes and popping them into her mouth.

"Would you stop..." Charlotte swatted at Sawyer and laughed. "You've eaten almost all of them."

"Okay, okay..." Sawyer grabbed one more and then backed away from the counter. "I'm done. I promise." She looked around the kitchen and saw everyone putting the last touches on the various dishes. Sawyer probably would have felt a little left out since she wasn't tending to anything in particular, but she wasn't phased. Cooking was never her strong suit. It was best if the others were left to deal with it.

Bridget tossed some salt and pepper on the rice and looked to others around her. "I think everything's ready."

"Yeah, I think so too." Charlotte tossed the salad once more and looked to Sawyer. "You can call the boys in."

That was a task Sawyer could handle. All of the guys had migrated outside to the porch and she headed to the back door. Sticking her head out the door, Sawyer smirked, "Dinner's ready."

Putting down his beer, Keith glanced to the guys and then his sister. "Where are we eating? It's pretty nice out here."

Sawyer hadn't really thought about eating outside but since she'd extended the back porch there was more than enough room to fit everyone. And on top of that, the weather was perfect. "That works. We can eat out here." Sawyer looked to Nick and saw him nod at the idea.

"Works for me." Graham got up and started to walk for the door.

As the group of twelve fixed their plates the remaining three in the kitchen were Sawyer, Keith, and Bridget. The twenty-six year old held out his hands to the girls. "After you."

Grinning, Sawyer nudged Bridget. "Not even a year of marriage and you've already turned him into a better guy."

"Ha. Funny." Keith slipped between his sister and wife in line. He _was_ going to bring up the back of the line, but clearly that was still reserved for his loud-mouthed sister.

"Or not." Sawyer squinted like their father did and waited to serve herself something to eat. Once she was happy with her plate, she followed Keith and Bridget outside. Nick had a spot next to him and she sat down by her boyfriend.

Trout pranced out on the back porch and parked his snout a little close to Davis' crotch.

"Sorry. Let me put him inside." Sawyer winced at the dog and started to get up. She knew she should have kept him inside. He'd be prowling for dropped food during their whole meal. Just as she got to her feet, she heard Ben speak to their dog.

"Trout, here." Ben snapped once and pointed at the space in front of him. The golden retriever's ears twitched and he walked over to his favorite person in the world. "Down, boy." Trout laid down and rested his jaw on his paws.

Davis looked to Ben with a relieved laugh. "Thanks."

Sawyer sat back down and nodded at Ben. She didn't have to say it. He looked at her and nodded right back.

"So Sawyer..." Annie cut a piece of chicken and looked around the backyard. "What did you change back here? Any major renovations?"

"Yeah, a little. This porch was a lot smaller." Sawyer raised her napkin to her mouth as she finished chewing.

"It wasn't _that_ small." Charlotte had fond memories of staying up late when she lived with Sawyer, and the nights they'd drink wine and talk about their boy problems under the Carolina stars.

"For the _two_ of us it wasn't." Sawyer laughed and shrugged.

"So does that mean you'll be having us over more often then?" Keith looked to his sister wondering if her bigger back porch meant they'd do this regularly.

"Maybe?" Sawyer wasn't so sure about that, but then another thought crossed her mind. "As long as Bridget or Nick cooks."

Smiling, Bridget nodded, "Sure. You can count me in." The young chef was up for it. Cooking was her favorite thing to do.

Nick's friend Geoff listened to the soft music coming from the outside speakers and looked to Sawyer. "Is this one of your bands?" He liked what he was hearing but didn't know if it was a group the music-producer had worked with.

"Oh, no. Not them. This a group called Plants and Animals. They've been a round for a while." The song was old, but it didn't have an expiration date. Music never did as far as Sawyer was concerned.

"You'll have to show everyone what you did upstairs." Nick looked up to the second story of the house and then to the group. "She's got a whole room for her music stuff."

It was true. Sawyer had always wanted a room she could work in from home, and even as sucky as it was to have a tree fall on her house, it provided a way for her to add on. She hadn't really needed to but she had the money and the timing worked out. It wasn't much. It wasn't like she had a full fledged recording studio upstairs, but it was just a space she could retreat to when she felt like it.

Ben wasn't surprised to hear about the addition. "What else is up there?" He hadn't been upstairs, there hadn't been a reason for him to go up there, but he wondered if it was more than an office.

Nick saw that Sawyer's mouth was full and he answered Ben. "A bed and bath."

Sawyer could see both Charlotte and Bridget's smiles start to spread. They were convinced that Sawyer's renovation meant she was close to settling down, but that wasn't the case at all. She cleared her throat to continue Nick's thought. "I kinda figured it would be good for the value later on if I wanted to move, and I knew if I didn't add on now I probably never would." The addition wasn't anything she needed, but her house was close to Tric, downtown, and all her favorite Mexican restaurants. She wasn't planning on moving anytime soon. Her roots were in Tree Hill. They always would be.

Graham looked to Sawyer with a laugh. "You added a bedroom up there so Hattie could have her _own_ room."

"And that." Sawyer nodded and smiled thinking about her god-daughter. "I guess I'll give a tour after dinner?"

That she would. When everyone finished eating Sawyer started to tackle the dishes but Charlotte pushed her away from the sink. "I've got this. Go show everyone upstairs."

"Ooh, yeah I wanna see how it all turned out." Annie brushed a plate's leftovers in the trash and set it down on the counter next to Charlotte.

If showing people what it took the construction guys so long to finish got her out of dishes, then Sawyer would gladly take Charlotte up on her suggestion. "Alright." Gathering a group to head upstairs, Sawyer made light of the situation and pointed at the banister like a flight attendant would point to things as she led people upstairs. "This...this is the railing. It comes in handy when I run down the stairs too fast."

Ben walked up the stairs and grinned. "And how many times have you fallen on your face?"

Cutting her eyes at him, Sawyer shook her head. "Actually, not once."

He grinned, a little surprised that was the case but followed Annie up the stairs as Sawyer continued to act like a tour guide.

Keith, Bridget, Charlotte, Graham, Nick, and Geoff were downstairs while the rest of the group explored the new addition.

"Let me help you, Charlotte." Nick wasn't the kind of guy to sit around and let someone single handily take on dishes that was meant to be a multiple person job. He started to scrape a plate and looked the Sawyer's best friend. He wasn't sure how to go about asking the question he had and kept quiet for a minute. Nick was on his third plate when he asked Charlotte about his girlfriend. "Has Sawyer said anything lately...about us?"

Charlotte was a little thrown by the question. She hadn't expected it. Wiping her hands on the dish rag, the brunette turned around. "What do you mean?" Charlotte was a smart girl. She knew what he meant, but wanted a little more clarification before she started saying anything.

"I don't know..." Nick ran his hand over his head and shrugged. "Lately Sawyer and I have been...off as a couple, I guess. I didn't know if she talked you about anything."

Not wanting to lie, Charlotte took a slow breath in and nodded. "A little." Her brown eyes looked to Nick and she shrugged. "Everybody...every couple has their down time, though. I'm not sure it's anything to worry about."

Nick ran his hand over the back of his neck as if to soothe an ache. "Yeah. I...I was just wondering."

"She loves you though. More than she probably lets on. I do know that." Charlotte handed Nick a glass to put up.

It was nice to hear Charlotte say that. He nodded and they continued to put up the dishes downstairs. Upstairs, Sawyer was showing off her new favorite room in the house.

"God, Sawyer. How many albums to you have?" Davis looked at the shelves that were practically overflowing with music. She had a big collection downstairs already. Add that with what she had upstairs and it was more than some small music shops had.

Laughing, Sawyer shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a music hoarder. I don't throw any of my stuff away."

Ben pulled out an album and smirked, "Even the stuff you hate?" He held out The Cure's _Disintegration_ with an arched brow.

Nodding, Sawyer strategically placed herself in front of the alphabetized shelves, just ahead of where Ben was standing and nodded. "Even the stuff I hate."

He would never understand her. Sawyer was the hardest person in the world to piece together. Sticking the record back in it's spot. Ben could only laugh a little.

"Then across the hall you will obviously see the bedroom. It's still a bit of a work in progress." The furniture in there was a smattering of miss matched pieces but it had a certain Sawyer feel to it. The whole house did. She watched as her guest walked out of the room and Sawyer leaned against the records. She wouldn't have to narrate anything about a bedroom and let them roam on their own.

Ben was about to head out of the music room but turned around to Sawyer before he did. "I uh...I like what you've done with the place."

Smiling, Sawyer looked around. "Me too." She started to smirk and looked to her ex-boyfriend with a brow arched with sarcasm. "And since I have your approval I guess that's a plus?"

He shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I always imagined this side would have the bedroom, though. But it works."

Sawyer felt her heart race when he'd said that. His words reminded her that the renovation hadn't been the product of Hurricane Lucile. She'd told him her big house plans when they were together years ago. She'd wanted to add on and renovate for a while now, the tree falling on the house only provided her the opportunity. Sawyer was surprised he'd remembered though. Her eyes softened and she glanced out the window. "Some things change, I guess?"

"Yeah. They do." He lingered in the room and the disappeared out of the doorway leaving Sawyer alone.

She gazed at the floor and was lost in memories of the past. The bedroom was supposed to be on this side, wasn't it? Yes, but it didn't matter down. A lot of things were supposed to be but weren't.

"So are you gonna show us ground zero?" Davis stuck his head in the music room and looked to Sawyer.

"Uh...yeah." She moved away from the records from artists Bu-Co and led the group downstairs to where the tree pummeled her little house. When everyone was in front of Charlotte's old bedroom, Sawyer looked to the group with a hint of disdain in her voice. "And this is where I was nearly killed."

"Oh, Sawyer..." Annie furrowed her brow.

"What? It's the truth." The blonde shrugged and played it off. She probably shouldn't have joked, but it was what she knew to do. "This window is new. Pretty much the whole back side of the house..." Sawyer pointed towards the walls and window, then walked toward the bathroom.

Ben stepped into the bedroom and suddenly felt October come flooding back. He knew exactly how the tree sliced through the house. He knew the way the damp air made it smell. He remembered kicking in the door Sawyer was about to open, and quickly the twenty-nine year old Coastie felt like he needed some air. All he could picture was Sawyer's pale, lifeless face in that bathtub. She'd been so cold. Nobody should see anyone they cared for in that dismal state.

Sawyer went on to show people the bathroom she'd been trapped in and she hadn't notice Ben slip away from the group. It wasn't until everyone walked back to the living room when anybody noticed his absence.

Looking over her shoulder, Annie wondered where her boyfriend was. "Where'd Ben go?"

"Uh..." Graham thought he saw Ben earlier and then saw a shadow outside. "He must be outside with Trout."

Annie went for the door and Sawyer went into the kitchen. Nick and Charlotte were just about done with the dishes and the blonde leaned against the fridge. "If I paid you on a regular basis, would you do this all the time?"

Charlotte laughed and hung up the dish rag on its hook. "You can't afford me." The young mom walked away from the duo and smirked at her best friend.

"Thanks for doing this." Sawyer stood next to Nick and smiled. "And dinner was really good."

"I'm glad you liked it." He nodded and stole a quick kiss from her.

"Mmm...I did." She kissed him one more time and smiled. There wasn't much left to put up and since he and Charlotte did most of it, Sawyer tilted her head toward the living room. "I'll finish."

"Are you sure?" Nick was happy to finish.

"Positive." Sawyer went ahead and started to put up some of the dry glasses and nodded. Nick walked away and Sawyer took another minute or two to get the kitchen cleaned up. As she wiped down the counter, something outside caught her eye. It was Annie and Ben. The darkness made it hard for Sawyer to see but she knew it was them. Ben was throwing something for Trout and Annie was standing by the Coastie. Maybe Sawyer didn't hate them together as much as she thought?

Tossing the paper towel in the trashcan, the blonde joined the rest of the group in the living room.

**OTHOTH**

Another hour or so of conversation and laughter continued until various couples started to head home. Charlotte and Graham were first to leave. They wanted to get home and see Hattie. Davis and his date were next, then Annie and Ben, and Geoff and Lucy. Eventually Keith and Bridget were the last ones there, and Keith was shaking Nick's hand as Bridget walked toward the front door from the restroom.

Sawyer wasn't even getting up to say goodbye to her brother and sister-in-law. She simply threw them a smile. "I hope you two hop on the baby making train tonight. Isn't it about time I got a niece or nephew?"

Bridget started to smile and looked to Keith. They weren't planning on adding to their family anytime soon. "Maybe in another year or so."

"Ugh...fine. Be that way, but Aunt Brooke isn't going to like that." Sawyer was actually surprised their raspy voiced aunt hadn't bribed Bridget with free baby clothes for life. Brooke Davis had thing with babies, and watching the younger generation start their own families was something that got everyone excited. Not only Brooke, though. Sawyer couldn't deny it, either. She was kind of digging her cool aunt Sawyer roll.

After Keith and Bridget left, Nick made his way over to Sawyer and sat down next to her.

She leaned into his side and looked to him. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Probably." He took off his glasses and pressed his hand against the bridge of his nose. The night's festivities had worn him out. He was about to say something but a yawn escaped his mouth. "I might head to bed now, actually."

Sawyer nodded and looked up at the TV. There were about eleven minutes of the show left and she'd get up when it was over. "I'll be in there in a little bit."

"Alright." Nick nodded and got up, heading towards Sawyer's bedroom.

Just over eleven minutes later whatever television show Sawyer had wanted to finish ended, and she and Trout walked into the bedroom. Her bedside table light was on but Nick was already asleep. He was turned away from her side of the bed as his chest lightly rose and fell with each breath.

Changing into something to sleep in, Sawyer slid into bed and pulled the comforter close to her chin. She thought she'd been tired but realized she wasn't. Looking around her room as she wondered if there was anything she needed to do, Sawyer leaned over the edge of the bed and saw the ends of a certain book sticking out from under her bedside table. Grabbing it, Sawyer figured tonight was a good night to dive into the story of her life. Why not? There wasn't anything else to do.

Hunkering in against her pillows, Sawyer flipped to where she'd left off and took a deep breath.

.._.up in Boston. Sawyer always knew that she wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps. Music ran through her veins. But it was up in that northern town where her story really began_.

"Oh, God..." Sawyer immediately winced as she said that out loud. She hoped her impromptu commentary hadn't woken up Nick. She turned to look at her sleeping boyfriend and knew she might need to read elsewhere. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't suddenly want to cuss out Dillon's 'character' as she read the story.

Slipping out of bed, Sawyer returned to the living room and got comfortable on the couch as her eyes landed on her father's words.

_Dillon Holder was a musician, and his talent matched Sawyer's appreciation for the art while they were studying at Berklee. When the two of them found each other at a campus event, it seemed as if the musical gods were playing a finely tuned instrument. There she was; a beautiful young girl who was determined to hold her own against the pitfalls and rejection of the music industry. And there he was; a struggling newcomer who resembled a young, bearded Jim Morrison._

"Okay, I'll give you that one." Sawyer thought about how her dad was describing Dillon and he was right. Dillon did look a little like a young, bearded Jim Morrison. The Jim Morrison from his 1963 mug shot. Coincidentally enough, Jim Morrison had been trouble and so was Dillon.

Sawyer read on about her college love turned disaster. She'd been reminded of the good times and the bad times. They'd been good together until he'd left to tour after graduation. She'd come back to Tree Hill and he took a van around the northeast. The pages of her life read just as it had happened. When Sawyer got to the part that described the moment she'd found out Dillon cheated on her, she cringed. She could have skipped over it, but something made her eyes continue down the page.

_Tree Hill was in a tumultuous heat wave that made the small North Carolina town feel as if the very ground might melt into the neighboring Cape Fear. Sawyer was drenched in sweat. Tric's air-conditioner had broken, so even her favorite place in town had lost its fortress appeal. She was pushing grunt work for her mom at Red Bedroom records when she got the call._

_He'd written her a song._

"My, my, my." Sawyer remembered it. The melody was terrible, and before she knew what the phone call had been about, she liked his sweet sentiment. She shook her head though. How could she have not seen it coming. "Jesus, I was such an idiot."

Sawyer's eyes went back to her dad's book and she read about the worst day of her twenty-second year of life. Simply thinking about Dillon made Sawyer's blood boil. She hoped he had some terrible STD now. Her chest was starting to run warm just thinking about his sorry face. He'd messed so much up. Not only his relationship with Sawyer, but he helped her ruin things with Ben, and remembering that was the worst of it all.

Feeling like she needed some air, Sawyer grabbed the book and walked to the laundry room. She hadn't gone in there to get some air. She went in there because there was a pack of cigarettes she could use right now. She'd all but quit her bad habit, but every once in a while when life's stresses seemed too much, she could always find solitude in Mr. Marlboro.

When she found what she was looking for and got a lighter, Sawyer went outside.

In the soft illumination from the outside house lights, Sawyer went through one cigarette after another as she continued to read through the untitled book. She made it through the Dillon mess, through her time with Ben, and was just starting on Nick. She must have been reading for hours, because she was down to her last few cigarettes and the pages of her dad's book were dwindling.

_The day Sawyer met Nick Beasley was the day that turned Sawyer Scott on her head. He was unlike anyone she'd ever dated. He was calm and shy in his ways. Even when faced with challenges, he went about them rather gracefully with a tenderness and eloquent satisfaction Sawyer hadn't been accustomed to._

Her father's description made her smile. She tapped her cigarette as the ash fell to the ground and turned the page. Before she could dive into the words, Sawyer heard the back door open. She turned around and saw Nick walking her way.

"What are you doing out here? It's three in the morning." He ran his hand over his brow and sat down next to her.

She knew he would notice the smoke and tried to wave it away from her. "Sorry..."

Somehow he wasn't surprised that she was smoking. He'd never seen her do it while they were together, but it didn't seem strange. He shook his head and picked up the burning cigarette. "Would it surprise you if I told you that I used to smoke?" Nick took a drag of the Marlboro and blew out a puff of smoke after it filled his lungs.

Surprise her? Hell yes it did. She simply nodded and asked him a question. "Why'd you quit?"

"My dentist freaked me out. Told me my teeth were going to rot out of my head." He laughed and put out the cigarette. "No. I was in college when I started. Everybody around me did it. Then one day I just..."

"Quit?" Sawyer knew the feeling. One day you enjoyed something and then then next day you realized what you liked, what drew you in wasn't there anymore.

"Yeah." Nick nodded and shrugged. He looked at Sawyer through the darkness and saw she was holding something. "Is that book good enough to keep you up so late?" He'd gotten a little worried when he'd woken up in an empty bed.

Sawyer took a deep breath and nodded. "It's my story. My dad wrote it." She laughed as it came out of her mouth. "It sounds crazy, I know. I mean who'd want to read about me?"

"Is it really about you?" Nick looked at the pages and then to Sawyer.

"So far."

"How's it end?"

Sawyer didn't know. She hadn't gotten there yet. "I don't know."

"How do you want it to end?" Nick turned to his girlfriend and looked at her seriously.

Looking at him long and hard, Sawyer knew what he was asking. She looked out across the dark backyard with a shrug, and held the book close to her chest. "I don't know."

"Me either."

That was their problem. Neither Sawyer or Nick knew what was next for them. They didn't know how they'd be in five years, one year, one week from now. Couples didn't necessarily have to plans for every little thing that was headed their way, but they should know one thing. Nick should be picturing Sawyer by his side and Sawyer should be picturing Nick. Clearly the two of them were at a place where neither of them were sure about their future together.

"I still love you." Nick didn't look at Sawyer and only glanced to the darkness of night.

This was it, wasn't it? Sawyer could feel it. "I know." She leaned into his side and took a deep breath. "I love you too."

What they'd felt over the last fifteen months had somehow run dry. It happened sometimes, though. No one ever said love was easy. But at least this had been a mutual agreement. Both of them had seen it coming.

Nick leaned over and kissed Sawyer's forehead one last time as they sat together while time seemed to stand still. The sun would be up soon and so would this relationship. Nick and his things would be gone by morning.

**OTHOTH**

When night turned to day, Sawyer got dressed for work but felt like something was missing. Nick was gone and the house was eerily quiet as she made herself breakfast. She failed miserably at making an omelet. Most of her egg ended up on the stove top when she tried to flip her food. Poking her fork in and out of the breakfast disaster, Sawyer realized she wasn't that hungry. Her appetite left when Nick did.

She knew they were done but knowing that her relationship was over didn't make it hurt any less. She thought Nick was her guy- the guy. Apparently not.

Tossing her food in the trash, Sawyer slowly walked down the hall toward the bathroom so she could brush her teeth. The mirror flashed back a mean reflection that wasn't very nice. Sawyer's eyes had deep dark circles around them from her lack of sleep, and she looked like she had a hangover from hell- and Sawyer wasn't even hungover.

Once she lined her toothbrush with toothpaste, Sawyer swirled the brush around her teeth as she stared into the mirror. How did things go from so good to so bad? Why didn't things work out with Nick. Why couldn't she fall in love and not fall out?

Between brushes, Sawyer felt her eyes well with tears and slowly but surely the newly single twenty-nine year old started to cry. She hadn't cried yet but she was letting it all out now. Big tears, little tears, silent cries, and screaming sobs- Sawyer went through it all. She was an emotional wreck. Why couldn't she just be happy?

When her tears had stalled enough for her to think clearly, Sawyer knew she was in no state to go to work. Finding her phone, Sawyer called her mom's number and hoped to God she didn't answer.

"You've reached Peyton Scott..."

A heavy sigh of relief consumed the young blonde and Sawyer waited for the beep, "Hey, Mom. It's me. I feel like shit." Sawyer faked cough and cleared her throat. "I'm not coming in today. I'll double up tomorrow and work late if I need to." Sawyer felt her emotions starting to show their face and she quickly said goodbye. "Bye."

Sawyer threw her phone into her pillows and she crawled up on the bed and laid her head down. Even with closed eyes, Sawyer could see Nick sleeping like he'd done so often. His smell was still on her sheets and she just wanted to go to sleep and dream about things that didn't make her hate her life right now.

She couldn't sleep though. Just like last night, she was in bed but not tired. And just like last night, she turned to something to pass the time. She had about forty pages left in her dad's book. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. Her emotions were not going to be doing her any favors as she read over her story, but Sawyer couldn't think of anything else to do.

Walking back to the kitchen, Sawyer had left the book on the kitchen counter when she came in from outside last night. Finding a comfortable spot on the couch, Sawyer opened up to where she'd left off once again.

_A simple blind date turned into what could have been a disastrous night, but Nick saw something in Sawyer he liked. Nick saw a young woman who needed something from him. He didn't know it, and neither did she, but the relationship would bring each of them a peace of mind they could only get from each other..._

Sawyer re-read over that last passage and sunk back in the cushions of the couch. "What? What was I supposed to get from him other than a broken heart?"

Those blue eyes of hers landed back on the page she was on and she kept going. Sawyer could tell that her dad liked Nick. Everything line, all the description; Nick Beasley had made a good impression it was just a shame it hadn't lasted with her. They could have made it work, right? Probably not. It was hard to find that spark when it had been smothered for a while.

Ten pages passed and Sawyer was starting to get to a point in the story she'd been less familiar with.

_...winds were roaring through the sky as Hurricane Lucille took her rage out on Tree Hill. Sawyer glanced out of the window as trees in neighboring yards started to swirl in the storm. The fear that overcame her body pushed her to the back of the house as she tried to seek shelter. She'd made it to the bathroom when she heard the crack. It was a sound she'd never forget. Suddenly the ceiling of the house tore open and Sawyer stumbled her way into the bathroom..."_

As she read her father's account of what had happened that night, Sawyer was slowly trying to remember if any of that had happened. She couldn't be certain if any of it was even true. This must have been the part of the story he'd had to improvise_._

…._.The pain shooting from her arm started to pulsate as her breathing increased, and Sawyer wasn't sure what had happened. Somehow she'd cut herself on something and the blood seeping from her arm started to pool as it fell on the floor..._

Sawyer looked down to her arm and ran her finger over her scar. Her mind flashed quick memories from that night and she could see herself in the tub with towels over herself. It was an image she hadn't remembered before, but it matched up with everything she was reading and what she'd recalled since then.

_...The hours wore on and Sawyer was slipping in and out of consciousness. Her fate was undetermined, but as each moment passed, her chances started to fade. That cut had been filled with bacteria, and septicemia didn't take long to penetrate the bloodstream._

_Just outside, a Coast Guard crew who was scouring the area in a relief effort had gone door to door combing the streets for survivors, offering assistance in any way they could. One of the young lieutenants knew the street well. He'd been by earlier to pass out flyers and when he saw..."_

"Oh my God..." Sawyer stopped reading. In that simple description she knew who it was who'd pulled her from that bathtub. She didn't need a name. She didn't need his physical description. Ben was the only one who came to her door to pass out flyers that day_. _

_...the house covered by branches, Ben immediately felt the need to make sure she wasn't inside. Ben Trammell had come from Texas on a volunteer basis to help out the North Carolina division, but it wasn't simply for that. He had to make sure she was okay. Sawyer had, and always would remain a constant thought in his mind. She was the person he'd want to protect and tend to. If she needed him, he'd be there._

Flicking away a tear as it ran down her cheek, Sawyer knew her dad must have put this in as a dramatic plot point. Ben hadn't gotten her, had he? He couldn't have.

.…_.He had a feeling in his heart that told him Sawyer was there. He'd seen Trout and he tried with all his might to force his way into the back of the house. As soon as he saw the debris filled bedroom, Ben tried to crawl his way over the branches..._

Looking down the hall towards the bathroom, Sawyer tried desperately to remember what had happened. Wasn't she saved by some dark haired, dark eyed EMT? Isn't that what she'd been told?

No. No one told her anything.

Sawyer suddenly realized that she'd been telling herself that only so she could imagine someone in her head. Now everything was messed up. Ben had saved her? No. Sawyer didn't believe it. She skipped to the last chapter, convinced that the rest of her story during and after the hurricane part was some made up figment of her father's imagination. None of what she'd read or was about to read was true.

_...The days and hours of Sawyer's medically induced coma dragged on, but he'd never left her side. He wasn't leaving town until he knew she was okay. There was something between the two of them that would never falter. Ben Trammell loved Sawyer Scott now just as he did the day she'd thrown orange juice in the morning. The distance between two hearts would never matter when it came to true love. He'd never stopped loving her and he would always be there for her._

_Ben was what she wanted, who she needed, and who was with her when she opened her eyes._

Sawyer laughed out loud at the high point of her dad's story. What a cliché. And what? Nick just rolled over to Ben? She shook her head and kept reading.

_Ben got her some water and called for a nurse as Sawyer came to..._

"Oh, what a joke." Sawyer slammed the book shut and tossed it on the coffee table. She hadn't finished it, and didn't intend to. She crossed her arms and stared at the book with a hateful look.

Getting off the couch, Sawyer grabbed her keys and then grabbed her dad's untitled work on her way out of the house. She wanted to have a few words with the author. More than a few words. Sawyer was seething. What was she mad about, though? The ending, the dramatization, all of it? Sawyer wasn't impressed by anything, and she certainly didn't like the way he bended the truth and created a story out of nothing.

Her Karmann Ghia screeched out of the driveway, and Sawyer popped the clutched as she sped away towards her parents house. She was on a high of adrenalin and pent up emotion. Her break up with Nick had been less than twelve hours ago and now she'd just read the ending to a story that wasn't finished. How dare her dad try to write something that hadn't and wouldn't ever happen.

Her car pulled along the curb next to the little yellow house, and Sawyer saw the Mustang parked on the other side of the corner. Book in hand, Sawyer opened and shut her car door and walked through the front door without knocking. She went straight for her dad's office and saw him typing away on his computer. Sawyer tossed the book on his desk and shook her head.

Lucas had been startled by Sawyer's sudden appearance and the loud thud the book made as it landed on his wooden desk. He squinted at the cover page and before he looked up, he knew he was about to deal with a very upset Sawyer. He knew she had the book but wasn't sure if she'd read it. He glanced up and the look on her face told him she had.

"Why?" It was a one worded question that summed it all up.

Taking a deep breath, Lucas rolled back in his chair. "It's a story..."

"It's not." Sawyer rolled her eyes at her dad's reply. Why was everyone saying that? "It's my life, Dad! You didn't even have the decency to change any names." The nearly thirty year old looked away and could feel herself getting upset. "And why didn't you _tell_ me?" That part hurt the worst. Why hadn't anyone told her about it? The sting she was feeling wouldn't have been nearly as potent if she'd known what was going on from the beginning.

"Because I knew you'd never let me write it."

Sawyer shrugged and caught a tear with her thumb. "You never asked."

"Would you have said I could do it?"

"No." Her answer was firm. Her blue eyes looked to her father's and she shook her head. "And I _hate_ it." Sawyer sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Why did you write about my life...about stuff that never even happened!"

Lucas took a deep breath. "It's a story..."

"God, quit saying that!" Sawyer balled her hands into fist and shook her head. "I just want to have an answer not an excuse."

"I don't know what you want to hear, Sawyer." Lucas folded his hands together and looked at his oldest. "The day you came over here when you found out Ben was leaving for Texas I knew that there was a story there. It hadn't happened they way I thought it might, but everything about you and Ben and Nick reminded me of another..."

Cutting her dad off, Sawyer shook her head. "I'm not _you_. I'm _not you or mom_. Why can't you see that? Why do you have to think I'm following in your footsteps?"

"Okay, fine." Lucas held up his hands. "You're right. You're not me or your mom. I know that."

"Do you, Dad? Cause it seems like you're really pulling for a Sawyer and Ben reunion, AKA you and mom. You make us out to be a glorified version of your own story." Sawyer sat down in the chair across from his desk leaning back against its frame. She laughed as a tear fell down her face. "I think I'm entitled to my own life, thank you very much."

Lucas got quiet and so did Sawyer. He didn't know what to say.

Sawyer hated the silence, and her eyes started to well as she aimlessly glanced to a nearby bookshelf. She tucked her bottom lip in her mouth before speaking. "Nick and I broke up." Sawyer laughed again and sniffed as she caught another tear. "Aren't you happy? It's the way you wrote it. But instead of him seeing Ben in the hospital we split up this morning on my back porch."

"What? Sawyer..." Lucas got up and walked out from behind his desk. "None of what I wrote was supposed to happen. It's fiction."

"Well it did, so call your publisher and tell her you're _changing_ careers. Novelist turned fortune teller." Sawyer knew her and Nick's relationship had ended on their own accord but she couldn't help but blame her dad a little. Right now he was her prime target and standing in front of her. "And Ben...?" Sawyer shook her head and shrugged as she smushed a tear against her cheek, "Why him. Why did you make him the good guy? Of all the people to pick, you had to pick him to _save_ me. Why?"

Squinting, Lucas looked confused. "Pick him? Sawyer I didn't _pick_ him." He watched her eyes get wide just as Peyton's did. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Lucas shook his head. "I don't know what happened at the house that night, but it was him. Ben got you out of the house. I didn't make that up."

Sawyer felt like all the color drained from her face. "What?"

"Ben got you out of the house."

Closing her eyes, Sawyer shook her head not wanting to believe it. She furrowed her brow. "You're lying."

"He talked to your mom at the hospital." Lucas shook his head.

Sawyer felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. "He was there?"

"He came to see you before he left town. Your mom found him in the hospital and he told her what happened." Lucas squinted and nodded. "He's the one who didn't want you to know it was him?"

"Why would he want that?" Sawyer hid her face in her hands as the truth of who'd gotten her to the hospital set into her mind.

"I don't know. You'd have to ask him." Lucas wasn't the one Sawyer needed to be talking to.

A line of snot had dripped down from her nose to her lip and she used the back of her hand to try and wipe it away. Sawyer took a deep breath and blew a breath of air toward her eyes. "I have to go."

"Sawyer..."

"Don't..." Sawyer shook her head and grabbed the book from her dad's desk. "You don't get to tell me how this plays out." Her dad had written one ending, but she was the only one who could finish her own story.

Lucas didn't have a response, because Sawyer was right. It wasn't his place to tell her what to do, who to pick, or who to love.

Sawyer hurried out of the house and ran into her mom at the front door.

"Oh, hey. What are you doing here? I thought you were sick?"

Sawyer didn't say a word to her mom but briskly walked passed her out the door.

Peyton saw Lucas standing in the doorway of his office and she furrowed her brow. "What happened to her?"

Resting his arm on the door frame, Lucas sighed. "She read the book and found out it was Ben."

"_Oh_." Peyton's eyes got wide. She heard Sawyer speed away and the mother of two saw things playing out in various ways. But no matter the ending, all of the scenarios included many tears and lots of arguing. It was Sawyer and Ben after all. Weren't they pros at confrontation?

They were, and that's exactly where Sawyer was headed. He'd be on the Diligence and the drive downtown would only take a few minutes.

The summer wind whipped through her hair, and Sawyer still couldn't believe Ben had been the one who pulled her out of her house. But the blonde also couldn't tell how she was feeling about this new revelation. Was she pissed at him for keeping it a secret? Was she mad at him for being there? Why did it have to be Ben? Couldn't it have been anyone else _but_ him? Then again, she liked the idea that she finally had a name and a face she could thank, but it was _Ben_. The fact that he'd been her hero complicated things on so many levels.

**OTHOTH**

**So...a lot just happened. Sorry Nick fans. You had to see that coming. Aside from that break-up, Sawyer also found out who 'saved' her. You can imagine that confrontation. It will happen next chapter. And if you think the end is near, think again. J still has to come in the picture, and so does the number two, a certain funeral as well, and then there is always sushi guy.  
**

**My reviewers! I love you guys. Man, oh, man. If all of my time was dedicated to writing I'd get chapters up for y'all on a daily basis. Thank you for the support!**

**Amanda: So glad an update can brighten your day. Hope that remains true, and that this one made your day better. Thanks for the compliment about doing an admirable job creating Nick and Annie. I have a feeling your Team Sawyer and Ben ideology got much happier with the events from this chapter.**

**Joan: I hope you like the bits of Lucas' book we got to see. It's actually really hard writing as another person, lol. Kinda hard to explain, but that was tough. The title would have given away who Lucas chooses but we will find out what the title of the book is at some point. **

**Anonymoususer/Addie9: I hope you did well on your econ exam. I hated econ. Hated it. I can't believe I'll be certified to teach it. Lord help those kids, ha. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I'm also happy you liked the way I wrote Leyton. I've never been good at writing them (in my own opinion) so thanks for the compliment! Ha, and that's funny you would want Jamie as an older brother and Keith as younger brother. You're right that Sawyer is very much like Lucas in the way that she tends to deny her own feelings. Yeah, and Trout is kinda like a kid stuck in the middle of a divorce. Right again about Sawyer being pretty bitchy when she was saying that Nick probably didn't mind her when she was in her unconscious state. I'll start responding back to you on your account from now on. It was just easier to do it like this since you signed in anonymously.**

**Review please! **


	15. Complicated Shadows

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 15: Complicated Shadows**

**Disclaimer: You guys know the drill. I do not own anything related to the show.**

**A/N: Hey all. Ready to see what happens when Sawyer confronts Ben and the madness that ensues? Hope so, cause here it is. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The mid morning, summer May air spun Sawyer's hair in tangled directions as she drove her convertible downtown. Clutching the steering wheel, she wasn't sure how to categorize the emotions she was feeling. Just as the wind blew her hair around, Sawyer felt a cataclysmic build-up of hurt, anger, denial, and regret pulling her heart each and every way. She'd just been dealt a heavy hand. Not only had she confronted her father about that dumb book, but she had learned of a truth that perpetually shaped what was, what had been, and what was going to be.

It was him. It had been Ben who had pulled her out of the house and got her help. It had been Ben who had saved her, and for whatever reason, he'd wanted to keep that information away from Sawyer. And that was the puzzling part. Why on earth did it have to be a secret?

Whipping into a parking spot close to Chandler's Wharf, Sawyer got out of her car and slammed the door shut with her destination in mind. She had a ways to walk to get to the Diligence, but the peace of mind that came with walking across those wooden planks might actually do her some good. She needed to breathe. There was no telling what might come out of her mouth with the toxic concoction of betrayal and confusion roaring through her system.

Book in hand, Sawyer clutched the pages of her story and found herself getting angry. Angry at her dad, at her mom, at Charlotte, but mostly at Ben. This whole business of him not telling her was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Sawyer's eyes traveled down the length of the Riverwalk and that boat she was headed to wasn't even there. "Dammit! Where the..." Turning her head and looking towards the bridge, Sawyer saw the Coast Guard cutter putting along the brackish water. It would be coming in to dock soon. Sawyer would just have to wait.

While the boat slowly came to shore, Sawyer made her way towards the cutter's spot and found herself a seat at one of the benches by the fountain. Last time she sat there and looked out over the cape had been when Ben's dad bought her breakfast the morning of Charlotte and Graham's wedding. Thinking about that made Sawyer think about him. Russ probably knew about all of this. Maybe she'd give him a call? He'd tell her the truth.

Before Sawyer could seriously consider calling Mr. Trammel, the Diligence's blow horn sounded. Ben was back.

Getting one of the ropes ready to toss ashore, Ben slung the heavy metal clip over his shoulder. His eyes scanned the shoreline, and when they fell on someone familiar, he felt his brow furrow. Why was she there and why did she look upset? Ben watched Sawyer get up from the bench and slowly make her way towards the water's edge. Suddenly the Coastie started to get nervous. She would have only come to see him at the boat if something was wrong, and her blank stare told him that was the case.

Her heart was pounding out of control and Sawyer took slow steps towards the boat as she tried to figure out what she was going to say to him. She wanted to yell, scream a little, point her finger in his chest, and ask him why.

One of the guys thought he'd be cute and whistled Sawyer's way, but the blonde ignored him rather than flipping him the bird or an eat shit and die glare. She wasn't looking to talk to anyone but Ben.

Trevor was grinning at Sawyer and waiting for her snarky response, but when he didn't get one, he walked over to Ben and patted him on the shoulder. "Well...it was nice knowing you." Trevor knew that Sawyer must have been in a terrible mood if she wasn't even acknowledging his presence.

Worried that something was really wrong, Ben tossed the rope ashore and watched one of his fellow Coasties hook it to the dock. He looked back to Sawyer and swallowed hard. Was Trout okay? Had something happened to him? It was all Ben could think of as he made his way to the ramp to get off the boat.

Sawyer held the book to her chest and watched Ben walk her way. She pushed her sunglasses up in her hair and took a deep breath.

"Hey?" Ben spoke first and his eyes grew bluer as his concerned deepened. Sawyer wasn't quick to respond so Ben spoke up again. "Is everything okay?"

Looking just past him to the flowing water of the cape, Sawyer shook her head. "Nothing's okay."

"What is it? Is it Trout?"

Their dog? No. Sawyer furrowed her brow and shook her head. She held out the book and slapped it against his chest. "No, Ben. It's not Trout. It's _you_." Sawyer's emotions started to head towards angry and she cut her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Tell you what?" Ben was out of the loop and took the book she'd shoved to his chest in his hands. "What is this?"

"The truth." Sawyer crossed her arms across her chest as if protecting her heart like a coat of arms. The beating beneath her skin was pounding so much she swore she could hear it in her ears.

Seeing the hurt in her eyes, Ben still wasn't sure what was going on. He looked to the pages in his hand and tried to make sense of it all.

He was being a little slow to put the pieces together, and Sawyer absently looked away and then back to Ben. "It was you. _You_ got me out of the house. And for _whatever_ reason you didn't want me to know."

"Sawyer..." He took a deep breath and shook his head.

"No, Ben. Don't act like you didn't. You did! You did, now I know, and I want an explanation." Her tone was hostile and short.

He didn't want to do this now. She wasn't supposed to know and now that she did. The blow up that was sure to come with it was happening in the middle of the Riverwalk. "Can we _not_ do this _here._" He looked around and was sure Sawyer's raised voice had turned heads. It wasn't really even a question, though. Ben didn't want all of Tree Hill to hear their brewing confrontation. "I'll finish up here in about an hour. Let me...just let me clock out and..." Ben wasn't sure what they would do next so he shrugged. "...I'll meet you somewhere."

Sighing rather loudly, Sawyer rolled her eyes. She would have rather gotten it all over with but maybe it was best to argue about it more privately. "Fine." She turned her back on him just as soon as she could. "I'll be at my place."

Ben watched Sawyer march away and he looked down to the book he still had in his hands. He should have known that the real story would have wound up in her hands somehow.

"Trammell..."

He heard the captain call his name and Ben knew that he needed to finish up his work on the boat before he could start to think about what he'd tell Sawyer. Ben headed back onto the Diligence while Sawyer drove home.

The blonde was fuming. She'd just started to really ask him questions and confront him about it when he'd asked her for a rain check, delaying the inevitable even more so. Of course it would happen that way.

Her tires screeched as Sawyer pressed the pedal to the floor, and she found herself at home in the blink of an eye. Trout met her at the door and Sawyer walked straight into the kitchen. There was half a bottle of wine left over from the dinner party and she grabbed it. It may have been a little early, but Sawyer felt as though she could justify her actions. She was fresh off of a break-up, her whole family essentially lied to her, and then there was Ben. It was too much. It was all just too damn much.

Flopping down on the sofa, Sawyer sunk back in the pillows and sipped the wine as she closed her eyes. This was all some bad dream, wasn't it? Feeling her golden retriever lie down by her feet, Sawyer opened her eyes and knew this was no dream. Eying the clock, she knew she had about forty minutes until Ben showed up and they could talk. Sawyer would have to make the rest of her wine last until then.

During that forty minutes of downtime, Sawyer sipped her alcohol and Ben finished up what he had to do. Once he was done, he walked to his car and opened up the first page of the draft she'd all but thrown at him. Between the lines and paragraphs of the pages he skimmed, Ben was able to piece together what the book was about. It was about her. It was about them.

With a nervousness he hadn't expected, Ben drove towards Sawyer's house. He pulled up to the curb and waited a good five minutes before he decided to go inside.

Sawyer had been staring off into space when she heard the knock on the door. "It's open." She knew who it was and turned to see the Coastie walk inside as she set down the bottle of wine. She stood up just as Ben closed the door. Taking a deep breath and srossing her arms, Sawyer's eyes landed on his. "Did you really get me out of here after the storm?"

Shoving his hands in the pockets of his blue utility uniform, Ben tried to crack a smile. "What answer will make you less mad?"

"Ben, I'm serious!"

"What do you want me to tell you, Sawyer?" He furrowed his brow and shrugged. She knew the truth already. What other ways could he say it?

She knew it had been him. "God, of all people..." Sawyer moved away from the couch and squinted. "Why you?" Looking to Ben, Sawyer wished it had been anyone else on the face of the planet. Forever grateful and indebted to him, she just wished it could have been someone else.

Ben didn't know what to say and tried to find his words. "I..."

"Couldn't you have just left me _alone_." Sawyer would have been okay with that.

Instantly furrowing his brow as deep as it would let him, Ben shook his head. "Left you _alone_? Sawyer, you were hurt!" Quickly, images and memories of that day plagued his mind. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Oh I don't know...turn the other way."

His voice had risen and he looked mad. "Jesus, stop acting so ungrateful! I saved your life."

"_Ungrateful_. I'm not ungrateful!" Sawyer looked at Ben with a raised brow. Not at any point had she said anything about being ungrateful; she was grateful, but that's not what they were talking about now. If she wasn't steaming with emotion she might actually thank him, but right now all she was feeling was hurt and confusion. "I just wish it hadn't been _you_."

"Don't you think I feel the same way! Don't you think I wished it wasn't you I was saving? Huh?" Ben stepped closer to her and narrowed his eyes. "How do you think it was for me? I _didn_'t have a _choice_. I couldn't _not_ doing anything!" He wasn't trying to yell but it was coming out of his mouth naturally as his anger amped up. Why did she have to be so stubborn about this?

"You didn't have to do it, Ben! You could have let someone else help me." It wasn't in his nature for him to let someone take over and she knew better than to say it.

Ben took a deep breath and another step closer to her and used his fingers to count out the two scenarios. "I was here. You were hurt."

She really hated the fact that it had been him. Anybody else and she could have attempted at sending baked goods as a thank you, or buy the guy dinner; but Ben? Ben made this mess a disaster. Why? For Sawyer it wasn't exactly a great feeling knowing that the guy who saved her life had also been the guy whose heart she broke, the guy she cheated on, and the guy who meant the world to her until she screwed it all up. Now, knowing he was the hero in this story made her feel like the worst human being on the planet.

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Anything else." Breathlessly saying it, Sawyer turned away.

"I thought you were _dead_!" His yell seemed to echo through the room. He pointed towards the back bedroom and shook his head. "When I busted into the bathroom you were..." Ben looked to the ground and shook his head. "I don't even want to think about what you looked like." Remembering Sawyer lifelessly slumped over in the bathtub was an image he never wanted to revisit.

Sawyer felt a sting in her heart as Ben told her a little about what he'd felt and seen. This was just as hard for him as it was for her. A quick tear fell from her eyes and she flicked it away. "Fine. Fine." Sawyer could feel her emotions heating her cheeks. "Then...why didn't you tell me?" Her tone was less confrontational and more curious.

"Because I knew you'd react like this." Shrugging, the Tennessee born Coastie rubbed his brow. "You have Nick...I didn't want to complicate things."

"_Had_ Nick." Correcting him, Sawyer turned away from Ben and put her hands on her hips. "We broke up. This morning actually." She moved over to the couch and sat down as the day's stresses and emotions pooled over her brow. "My life's a fucking disaster." Between this, that, and the other everything seemed to be going wrong for the music lover.

"Sawyer..."

"No. I know it is." She sniffed with a laugh and ran her hand under her nose. "There's not a whole lot anyone can say that changes the fact. It is." Sawyer used the back of her hand to wipe her cheeks.

Ben hated to see Sawyer upset and walked over to the couch. He didn't want to cross a line or border, but Sawyer clearly needed a friend. Things were not going her way. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Laughing as she smudged her tears against her skin, Sawyer furrowed her brow. "Talk about my latest _failed_ relationship with an _ex_-boyfriend..._right_."

Smiling because it did seem a little strange, Ben lifted his shoulders. "Or I don't know..."

Sawyer wasn't particularly interested in talking to Ben about Nick but she did have a few questions still. "Did you really come to the hospital?" Sawyer looked to Ben teary eyed and knew they could start there.

Nodding, Ben fiddled with his fingers. "I came by to check on you, to make sure you were okay."

Hearing his reasons made Sawyer's heart flutter but she couldn't tell the difference between reasons of pain or love as she fought back tears. Why was he such a stand-up guy? Why were his intentions so true and noble? Sawyer may never know the answers to those questions, but when they were together she knew he'd do anything for her. Apparently not much had changed, and in thinking that Sawyer couldn't help but wonder something. "If you hadn't had to go back to Texas, would you have stayed?"

Ben turned to Sawyer and the look in his eye told her all she needed to know. Of course he would have stayed.

Before she knew what she was doing Sawyer leaned close to Ben and kissed him. It wasn't sloppy or heavy; a simple kiss that seemed routine and romantic.

Ben wasn't expecting it and on any other occasion he might welcome it, but Ben had a girlfriend. "Sawyer..."

After hearing his voice and when she realized what she was doing, Sawyer pulled away immediately. "Oh my God...shit what am I doing? I think I'm drunk." She was _hardly_ drunk, but needed some sort of excuse. "Sorry..." Her mind was racing a million miles an hour and she got up and covered her hands with her face embarrassed for an eternity. Her day could not get any worse. "I would leave, but this is my house so..."

Getting up, Ben knew things had just gotten awkward. He tasted the wine on her lips and knew she'd had a bit to drink so he couldn't fault her too much. She'd been through a lot. "I uh..."

"Just go please." Sawyer didn't want to talk, she didn't want to linger, she didn't want to see him. What she wanted to do was crawl in a hole and die.

Ben walked out of Sawyer's house and heard the door close. He was just about to step off the front stoop when he stopped and turned around. He thought about going back and saying something but instead he turned back towards the street and headed for his car.

"Holy..." Sawyer gently hit her head against the door she'd just shut. "...shit." Closing her eyes, Sawyer was now _really_ wishing everything was a bad dream. Her phone started to ring but Sawyer wasn't about to talk to anyone right now. What she needed to do was get away. She needed to get away from Tree Hill, get away from her family and friends, and get away from Ben. Sawyer needed to clear her mind and find some sort of clarity through the mess she'd just made.

Heading into her bedroom, Sawyer started up her laptop. She was booking the first flight she could find. Her mom might get mad, but Sawyer could find a way to work in some capacity wherever she was headed. Music wasn't limited to Tree Hill and neither was she.

With a few clicks and a confirmation email a few seconds later, Sawyer sat back on her bed and took a deep breath. Hopefully Boston would treat Sawyer better.

**OTHOTH**

Baggage claim had been a royal bitch. Not only was the airport crowded for some un-Godly reason, but Sawyer missed her bag on the carrousel not once, but twice. Not an hour in Massachusetts, and her trip had already started on a bad foot.

Luckily for Sawyer though, she flagged down a cab faster than expected and was driving away from the sea of travelers in no time.

It felt good to be back in her old stomping grounds. During her time at Berklee, Sawyer and Boston went together well. She loved the setting, the cold winters, the wet springs, underground tunnels, and cobblestone streets. Being so close to the water made her feel like she was home. Downtown was a favorite spot of hers to roam. She was most comfortable and familiar with Back Bay since her days as a college student were mostly spent there, but she loved the South End and quiet spots in Cambridge too. The whole city was great and Sawyer was happy to be back. It was a nice change of pace, of scenery; it was a nice change of everything, really.

As the cabbie drove toward Back Bay, Sawyer found herself lost in the setting. They'd just gone through Sumner Tunnel, passed Mass Gen, made their way through Beacon Hill, and were passing Hatch Shell. If Sawyer stayed through the Fourth of July maybe she could take in the annual concert Hatch housed ever year. What better way to spend the holiday? Live music and fireworks went hand in hand, but that would mean Sawyer would spend nearly a month in Beantown. That would be fine for her, but Sawyer wasn't so sure her aunt was ready to put up with Sawyer for that long. It was nice enough that Lily offered up her place to stay when she heard her niece was coming into town. Sawyer didn't want to wear out her welcome, though.

As the yellow cab pulled up to the curb of Commonwealth Avenue, Sawyer paid the guy and then grabbed her bag from the back. She walked up to the steps and looked at the name plates on the side of the building. Her eyes ran over the different last names who lived in the building until she found the one she was looking for. "O'Connor. There you are." Sawyer pressed the button and heard the noise from outside.

"Hello?" A young girl's voice came from the speaker and Sawyer couldn't help but laugh.

"Roe Boat, is that you?" Lily's nearly seven year old sounded so grown up.

"Yep. Who are you?" The girl knew who was at the door but her childish ways made her test Sawyer.

"Me? You know me. It's your favorite cousin...aunt? Sawyer. Whatever you call me."

"Who?" The little girl snickered and covered her mouth.

Kids. Sawyer rolled her eyes and was putting this on the ever expanding list of why not to have them. "Come on Sarah Roe. It's me. Where's your mom or dad?"

Lily had walked downstairs to greet her niece and smiled through the locked glass of the apartment's front door. Unlocking the door, she opened it and laughed. "Well, well..."

"Man am I glad to see you. I though I'd be stuck out here for hours." Sawyer laughed and hugged her recently turned thirty five year old aunt.

"I thought about leaving you out here for a while." Lily laughed harder and kicked her head towards the elevator. "I'm glad you're here."

Hoisting her bag off the ground, Sawyer nodded. "Thanks for letting me crash here."

"You know you can come up here whenever. And the timing is perfect." She pressed the up button and smiled. "Sarah Roe needed a summer nanny anyway." Lily watched Sawyer's face fall.

What? Babysitting? Sawyer could see where her free room and board came with some sort of price but she never thought the favor to two she'd pull would be _babysitting_.

Lily bumped Sawyer with her hip. "I'm kidding." The two got into the elevator and Lily punched the third floor button. "I'm actually gonna need you to house sit."

"Oh...I can do that." Sawyer waved her hand in front of her face. That was not a problem.

"If you're still here mid month Ryan's family is renting a house for a week in Cape Cod. You can come if you want but..." Lily knew Sawyer. Her niece would rather be in the city alone with her thoughts than in a house full of strangers. "I thought you might want to spend some quality time here."

"I do." That was her plan. She wanted to spend her days walking the streets and spending money on shit she didn't need. She wanted to visit the local music venues and hear Boston's latest and greatest unsigned artists. She wanted to get lost in the northern town and not think about Nick, the storm, Ben, or that book. It had been six days since she'd confronted her dad, kissed Ben, and made a complete fool of herself. Six days, and Sawyer was starting fresh.

Lily opened up the apartment door the two walked into the O'Connor home.

"Hi." Sarah Roe's soft voice came from the open living room as she peeked her head above the couch.

"Why don't you show Sawyer to the guest bedroom, kiddo?"

"Okay, come on..." Sarah Roe hopped off the couch and took Sawyer's hand, leading her down the short hallway to the bedrooms. The young first grader opened up the bedroom door and jumped up on the bed swinging her legs around with a grin. "This bed is comfy." She pointed to the bathroom door, "And that's the bathroom. It's my bathroom too."

Putting her luggage down, Sawyer eyed the dresser but knew she'd rather live out of her suitcase than have to pull everything out and unpack. She wasn't even sure how long she was staying. "Pretty cool, Roe Boat. We're roommies."

"What's a roomie."

"You know a...roommate. It's what people are called when they live together."

"Oh...so Mama and Daddy are roommates?"

Technically that was true, but they were considered more than roommates. Most happily married couples were. "Yeah...sure."

The young girl heard her mom call her name and she darted out of the room. Sawyer was able to look around and take in her surroundings. The full sized bed was comfortable and the room was painted in soft, welcoming tones. There were only a few pictures in the room and Sawyer walked over to the dresser and picked one up. It was Lily, Karen, and Andy standing outside of the Sydney Opera House. It was just one of the many places Lily had traveled to. She was a real wanderer, that one. Had Lily not found Ryan nine years ago she probably would still be traveling the globe.

Picking up the next frame, Sawyer saw a picture of her aunt and the guy who settled Lily's adventurous spirit. Ryan O'Connor was handsome with brown hair, blue/green eyes, and a full beard. They'd been on a ski trip so the beard had been seasonal, but even when clean shaven, Ryan always had a five o'clock shadow.

Lily stuck her head in the door and smiled. "I froze my ass off on that trip."

Sawyer put down the picture and turned to her aunt. "I think I remember you calling me about that. I was still in school up here."

Lily nodded and moved to sit down on the bed. "Mmm-huh." She looked at her niece through the reflection of the dresser mirror. "I talked to your dad a minute ago, told him you where here." Lily also told her brother that she'd keep an eye on his daughter while she was in town. "I knew you hadn't called."

Turning around to face Lily, Sawyer nodded. "You know me..." She sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. "Really though. Thanks for letting me stay. I needed to get away."

Leaning into Sawyer's side, Lily put her arm around her niece. "I know how things get. Ryan and I didn't always have it easy." Like most couples, she and her husband had their ups and downs. "But I will say this. You can't just run away from your problems."

"I'm not running away. I just need to clear my head." Sawyer didn't want to hear the same critique that Charlotte, her Mom, and Keith had given her.

"Whatever the reason. You'll go back home at some point, and have to deal with whatever it is you're trying to get away from."

"I know." Sawyer knew that but she didn't want to think about it. Not now, and not for a while.

For the next few days she'd all but slid off the grid from her North Carolina friends and family. Her phone had died and she didn't bother charging it. She'd talked to her mom twice since she'd been in town and that was about enough. She was still mad at her dad and always ended phone calls home before he got the chance to talk to her. Sawyer knew Lily was calling him to give him updates so it wasn't like he was completely in the dark about her whereabouts. Charlotte continuously sent emails, and so did the rest of the family. Keith wrote her about business at the shop and Bridget's culinary disaster when she tried out a new recipe. His concluding statements about never eating something you can't pronounce made Sawyer laugh out loud. While it was nice hearing from them all, she still liked being eight hundred and twenty miles away.

Keeping busy with excursions through town, Sawyer had been ten days up north before she knew it. Re-familiarizing herself with the subway, Sawyer mastered the art of getting around town. She graced Club Passim on what seemed like a daily basis where she would lounge around listening to live music and sipping on the tea or coffee of the day. When she didn't wander up to Cambridge for its music scene or Harvard Square, she'd visit the South End to hit up Wally's doing much of the same. There were more historical sites than Sawyer could count and on the coolest day, when the temperature was in the upper sixties, the Freedom Trail hadn't been so bad.

Just over two weeks into her trip, Sarah Roe got out of school and the family of three left their apartment in the care of Sawyer. The quiet and peacefulness of a silent home had been exactly what Sawyer needed. She'd enjoyed getting to spend time with Lily, Sarah Roe, and Ryan, but the isolation was comforting. For the week she had to herself, Sawyer didn't have to worry about being quiet for the first grader's sake. She quickly took over the home stereo and let a little Costello bounce off the walls. She'd must have listened to every single one of his songs by the time the end of the week drew near, but that was just fine with her.

While Elvis' "Country Darkness" rang through the O'Connor home, Sawyer realized she needed to hit the store. She'd run out of a few necessities and even though the thought of using Sarah Roe's Tinkerbell themed shampoo and conditioner was tempting, Sawyer wanted to buy her own things.

Turning the music down low, Sawyer grabbed her phone that she'd since turned on, and headed out the door. There was a convenience store just a block or two away so she started that way while she checked her voice mail. The first one was from Charlotte.

"Sawyer! Guess what! Hattie walked! She did, it was so cute. After the Diligence Dash yesterday we came home and she took her first steps. You should have seen her. You should have seen _me_! I dropped the camera! It didn't break so I'll send you pics soon, but ah...she walked..."

The blonde couldn't help but smile. Her God-daughter had taken her first steps, and Charlotte was an excited blabbering mess.

"So call me! Please!"

This was one of those milestones Charlotte would want to discuss, and even though Sawyer was all for limited conversation to those back home, she knew she better call her best friend. Hitting the button to call Charlotte back, Sawyer waited for the brunette to answer.

"You called! Oh my gosh, did you get my message?"

Laughing as she turned the corner, Sawyer nodded. "I did. So the Mad Hatter has learned to use those legs of hers, huh?" Laughing, Sawyer couldn't help but question Charlotte. "You cried, didn't you?"

"Yes a little. I teared up." Charlotte couldn't deny it. "When are you getting home? I want you to see her."

"I don't know? It's nice up here. They left for the beach so I'm secluded all by myself. It's pretty relaxing."

Sighing, Charlotte nodded because it probably was nice, but Sawyer wasn't supposed to spend the whole summer up there. How long did she need to clear her head? She'd been gone most of June already. "Okay...well in other news, guess what?"

"You're pregnant?" Sawyer laughed but couldn't help but guess.

Laughing, Charlotte shook her head. "No. This morning I overheard Graham talking with B..."

"Nope. Don't start." Sawyer knew where this was going. "Remember what we agreed on?"

Charlotte had all but signed a waiver that concluded she couldn't bring up Nick, Ben, or the book in conversation. "But..."

With a smile, Sawyer laughed. "Let's just keep this on Hattie. How'd Graham take her first steps?"

What she had to say to Sawyer was worth breaking their agreement, but since Sawyer was so adamant, Charlotte would keep the news to herself. Sawyer would find out eventually.

The two girls went on to talk for a while. Once the conversation died down and they said their goodbyes, Sawyer shopped around for the things she needed when she got to the store. Then she made her way back to the apartment.

She admired the French influenced architecture of houses and buildings, and something about the alphabetical cross streets made her simple walk seem like an education on 19th century style and form. After passing Dartmouth Street and Clarendon Street, Sawyer eyed the building she'd called her temporary home for the last twenty days. She hurried up the few steps, punched in the door code and walked to the elevator. Once she hit the third floor she walked to the apartment.

Putting her two bags down on the counter, Sawyer started to pull out her new purchases.

"You are a terrible house sitter."

Startled beyond belief, Sawyer reached for the closest weapon and held it out. "I'll kill you..." Sawyer held out a the deadly plastic spatula with one eye cracked. When she saw who was sitting at the kitchen table she opened both of her eyes and put down the spatula. A bit of confusion and befuddlement overtook her brow and she took a step closer. "Mom?"

Smiling with a smirk, Peyton started to stand up. "Well hello to you too."

"How did you get in?" Sawyer didn't believe in magic but something crazy must have happened.

"Lily gave me the code for the front, and _someone_ left this door unlocked..." Peyton arched her brow and shook her head.

"I was gone for a hour...tops." They were in a safe neighborhood. She didn't see the harm, but she wasn't so much interested in the critique of her house-sitting skills. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh you know..." Peyton glanced out the window and back to Sawyer. "I've come to make sure my first born was still alive." Her tone was sarcastic as usual, but she was serious. "I thought we might talk."

Still surprised and caught off guard, Sawyer couldn't believe her mom was standing next to her. "You could have called."

"I didn't want to chance it. Besides, we could use some face time."

Trying to gather her thoughts, Sawyer thought pulling out the rest of the things she'd gotten at the store might make her less tense. Peyton took a seat back at the kitchen table and looked to the streets below. "Remember when you left for college and you wouldn't let me or your dad come help you move in?"

"Yep." Sawyer put a half gallon of milk in the fridge and shut it. "So it kind of surprises me that you're here now."

Peyton took a deep breath and looked to her twenty-nine year old. "Well..." Peyton paused and then shrugged. "Are you gonna stay up here forever or what?"

"I don't know."

"Kid..." The aging mom of two laughed a little and shook her head. "You're not the only one who has ever experienced anything _unfortunate_ in their life. Running up here only gets you _so_ far."

"Like you would know what I'm dealing with. You and Dad got your happily ever after and then some. Sure, yeah, you broke up and whatever, but if you've come to tell me that things work out then..."

"_Actually_...I do know. I've been there before, Sawyer."

"Um...going off to L.A. doesn't count."

Laughing because Sawyer had so much to learn, Peyton looked at the empty chair across from her. "Sit down, let me tell you a little something."

Not really feeling up to getting a life lesson, Sawyer begrudgingly sat down and crossed her arms anyway. "Okay, I'm listening."

"Back in high school I did the same thing you're doing." Peyton could feel an interruption from Sawyer on its way but she continued. "After the school shooting I was a wreck. I'd kissed your dad who was dating Brooke, Keith's funeral was horribly depressing, and I felt like nothing was going my way. I mean it wasn't. Ellie had died. It was just terrible. Terrible." Peyton went wide eyed and laughed a little just thinking about it. She really did have a lot going on at a young age. "I was all conflicted about...everything, and my dad, Grandpa Larry, told me to follow my heart. So I did. I got out of town and went to Savannah."

"_Savannah_? Why Savannah."

Nodding, Peyton aimlessly looked out the window and then back to her daughter. "Do remember us talking about a high school friend? Jake?"

"Mmm..." Sawyer narrowed her eyes. She'd heard so many stories from her parents' past that it all ran together. "Sorta."

Peyton cleared her throat and sighed. "Between loving your dad throughout high school, I also loved Jake. He was a great guy. Kind, sweet, a single dad."

Laughing, Sawyer smiled. "What is up with Tree Hill and having babies too young?"

"I don't know, but long story short. I left Tree Hill and road tripped to Savannah to clear my mind. I thought I loved him enough, loved Jenny enough, to be happy. I actually even proposed to him."

"What? No way."

"I did."

"Well what happened? Obviously he said no."

Peyton shook her head. "He was all for it until he heard me say your dad's name one night in my sleep." Peyton saw Sawyer wince and she nodded. "I loved Jake, I did, but I loved your dad more. And even though that's not what I set out to find when I left for Savannah, it's what I realized. I think it's what I needed to realize. It was and always had been your dad." Peyton widened her eyes and took a deep breath. "I went back home and told your dad which didn't exactly work out as planned, but..." Shrugging her shoulders, Peyton smiled. "It was what I needed to do."

"So this relates to me...how?"

"The circumstances don't exactly match up, and I'm not saying you have a Jake or a Lucas, but you've spent enough time up here to know what it is you're running from, haven't you?" Peyton looked to her daughter and then reached for her purse. She pulled out a plane ticket with a departure date three days from now and slid it across the table to Sawyer. "It's what you need to do, isn't it?" Peyton got up and picked up her purse.

Not sure if she was ready to go back to North Carolina, Sawyer looked to her mom. "What if I was running from _me_; the person I am at home?"

Peyton looked at Sawyer sympathetically with a light shrug. "Then maybe it's time to grow up." It hadn't come out mean or harsh. Peyton's words were meant to be taken as advice. Sawyer was still very much a young spirit who liked doing things her own way no matter the case, and no matter the outcome. It was a part of her character that shaped who she was, but now after dealing with an endless array of errors, she may have finally found the peace of mind she was looking for.

Sawyer picked up the plane ticket and studied the print as her mom walked out of the apartment. _Boston to Tree Hill_. She knew the day would come. Sawyer wasn't staying in Boston forever. Two days from now Lily, Sarah Roe, and Ryan would be back home and then one more day and Sawyer would follow suit.

**OTHTOH**

Back in North Carolina for nearly two weeks, Sawyer was finding home not as terrible as she'd made it out to be. She'd thrown herself into her work which made things easy to deal with, but she'd yet to talk with Ben again or even begin to approach him. There were all kinds of things she wanted to tell him. Sorry being the first. She'd been a complete bitch about everything, and he didn't deserve it. He never deserved any of the things she'd ever done to him, which made apologizing that much harder. But Sawyer was taking baby steps. Just like her adorable God-daughter, Sawyer would get there in time.

The telephone rang and Sawyer picked it up. "Red Bedroom Records, this is Sawyer."

"Are you busy? We're in the neighborhood." Charlotte's voice came from the receiver.

Smiling, Sawyer sat back in her chair. "No, not really. You can come by."

"Alright, see you in a minute."

Hanging up the phone, Sawyer put in a new demo to listen to while she waited on Charlotte. She jotted down a few notes about the songs she was hearing and then heard tiny footsteps clomp her way.

"Hey, Hattie." Sawyer smiled as the little doe-eyed girl ran over to her desk. But before Hattie made it to Sawyer, she face planted since she was still getting used to her new legs.

"Holy crap..." Quickly getting up to pick up Hattie, Sawyer winced. "Are you okay?"

Charlotte laughed and sat down on the chair in front of her cousin's desk. "I think she's made of putty because she's fallen every ten seconds and popped right back up."

"Putty?" Sawyer smiled at the fifteen month old lightly pinching her skin. "Are you made of putty?"

"Liza told me that kids bones are still growing so they aren't as likely to break, which has to be true because at the rate Hattie's gone down, I'm surprised she's not in a full body cast." Charlotte looked to her little one and could see the couple of bruises Hattie got from misadventures in walking. Shaking her head with a smile, Charlotte looked to Sawyer. "But anyways? What are your plans for the Fourth? Are you emceeing the cook off thing?"

"Nope. Mom booked a band she's known for years so she wanted to do it."

"Well in that case, how about spending it with us?"

Sawyer smiled at Hattie. "How can I say no to you?"

"And before you ask. Yes. Ben will be there. It's gonna be a big group, though. We were thinking about doing the beach during the day and then coming back to town to watch the fireworks at sunset. Keith and Bridget are coming. Jamie and Liza. If Davis would ever answer his phone, I'm sure he'll come."

"It's not like a couples thing, is it? I don't want to be the only single person there."

"You won't be." Charlotte quickly dismissed Sawyer's concern.

What was the worst that could happen? She might get a little lingering sand in her car, but if that was really the worse-case scenario then there wasn't much to gripe about. There was a do-it-yourself car wash down the street that had vacuums. "Okay. Yeah, that sounds good."

Charlotte happily smiled and thought it sounded good to. She may have possibly had a bit of an ulterior motive, but she could keep that under wraps for now.

The couple days until the holiday drifted by and soon enough it was time for that beach get together. Sawyer put on her best bikini with jean shorts and a tank. Before going to the beach, she needed to return something. The copy of her dad's book was still in her possession, but not for long. If she was ever going to get passed all that, she had to let it go. On her way to the beach, she dropped it off at her parents' house. Neither of them were home but she placed it on her dad's desk. Earlier she'd gone through it one final time and made meticulous notes and suggestions in the margins next to her aunt Haley's with a final note on the front.

_Needs some work, maybe another draft or two? Call me and we can work on it...together this time. -Sawyer_

After leaving her mom and dad's house, Sawyer drove to the beach, and just as luck would have it, a parking spot near the beach access was open. She quickly took the parking space and hopped out of the car. She leaned over the door and pulled out her towel and then headed for the sand.

"Might wanna put up the top."

Sawyer turned around and saw his goofy grin. It was the first time she'd seen him since she'd been back from Boston. A million things to say popped through her mind but she couldn't settle on one.

"Black leather tends to get hot in the sun." Ben had been walking from his parking spot a street over from Tower 7.

Sawyer looked at the Coastie through her sunglasses and arched her brow. "I might tempt fate? See how it works out for me."

Walking past her with a laugh and a cute smile, Ben kept on going.

As he went by her, she was seriously contemplating Ben's suggestion. Sawyer knew he was right. Even though her car was best looking as a convertible, hot leather on bare skin was never a good combination. She turned from her car and watched Ben disappear amongst the beach goers. Huffing, Sawyer got back in her car and shimmied the top's lever up so her ass wouldn't burn when she got back in later.

The next time she got out, she was headed to the sand for real this time. Sawyer walked towards their usual spot by the volleyball net and made her way through the bundles of tourists and locals. She saw Charlotte snapping pictures of Graham in the water with Hattie, Bennet tossing the football with Davis, Coasties playing volleyball, Jamie building a sandcastle with his fiver year old daughter, everybody else, and a spot in the sand calling her name.

Charlotte saw Sawyer walking over and she smiled. "I thought maybe you'd changed your mind."

"I had to drop something off before I headed over here." Sawyer flung out her towel across the sand and started to peel off her tank. She looked to Charlotte and then over to the volleyball net. "Once they're done over there we should battle it out. Best of the Scott siblings. You and Jamie verse me and Keith."

Bridget laughed and shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked to Sawyer. "Won't you kill each other. You're both too competitive."

Laughing with a shrug, Sawyer kinked her eyebrow up. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Charlotte wasn't sure she wanted to be running around. Breast feeding already made her boobs hurt. She wasn't so sure anything that made them go up and down would be comfortable. "I might have to sit out."

"What? Oh come on." Sawyer saw that none of the girls around her seemed interested. "You guys are wimps."

Liza laughed as she shifted on her towel. "Or just old." The thirty-four year old felt past her prime. She still kept up with her physical fitness but she wasn't the twenty something soccer star anymore.

Trevor's wife, Emily, nodded. "And I'm terrible at sports."

"Me, too." Bridget wasn't terrible, but she wasn't great.

"Oh fine. I'll play with Drew or Davis. I bet Bennet will even play with me later." Sawyer laid her head on her arms as the sun started to heat her back.

The mid morning sun was shining down on them all, and the girls chit-chatted about a little of everything: Boston, food, babies, fireworks, and bad tan lines. Sawyer felt her back singeing with heat so she rolled over. Meanwhile Bridget and Keith made their way to the water, Jamie was being buried by his family, and Graham brought a pruning Hattie back towards the group.

The green-eyed Coastie knelt down and put Hattie's feet on the sand. "I thought she might want to dry off for a while."

Sawyer watched Hattie struggle with her balance in the sand and she smiled. "Her hands look like raisins."

Graham ran a towel over his body. "I tried to get her out a few times. She was happy just wading with me."

"Well hey? Sawyer leaned up and looked at Charlotte's husband. "Wanna play?" Sawyer tilted her head towards the volleyball net. "No one else wanted to." The blonde really wanted to get out there and test her skills.

"Volleyball? Yeah." Graham was a competitor like Sawyer and nodded. "You and me verse...Davis and Keith?"

"Sounds good to me." Sawyer held out her hand. "Help me up." She laughed as Graham pulled her up.

Charlotte smiled at the two of them. "We'll be cheering you on from here." She scooted under the shade of the umbrella and put Hattie in her lap.

"Keith!" Sawyer waved her brother over and looked to Brooke's soon to be twenty-four year old. "Davis! Come here."

Graham walked the fifteen feet over to the volleyball net and picked up the ball. Trevor, Drew, Ben, and Carter had just finished up their game and were taking refuge by the cooler and umbrella.

"Better run boys, Sawyer's a loose cannon on the court." Trevor laughed as he passed Sawyer and Graham.

"Shut up, Trevor." Sawyer would never know why or how Emily liked the guy. He'd been a smart ass since the day they met. If Sawyer remembered correctly, it had been Trevor who caused the orange juice throwing at the Diligence Dash when he'd whistled at them five years ago. Poor, sweet Ben had been the one to reap Sawyer's juice filled wrath.

"Drew, you wanna ref?" Graham picked up the ball and looked to his buddy.

"I will." Ben held out his hands and caught the volleyball as Graham threw it.

"I don't want any bad calls, Ben." Sawyer walked to one side of the net as Davis and Keith took the other.

Keith lined up in front of his sister and squinted as he rubbed his hands together. "Ben wouldn't cheat, and besides. If he does he'd do it for you because we're gonna kick your ass."

Sawyer knew Ben wouldn't cheat. She stepped closer to the net, eying Keith down. "Watch it little brother." Pulling her hair up in a ponytail, Sawyer was gearing up for the challenge.

Smirking, Keith turned to Davis and nodded. "Serve it up."

"I got your back, Sawyer. Take the net." Graham got in ready position and waited for Davis to hit to their side.

The ball sailed through the air and Sawyer hit it right back over the net. "Okay that wasn't pretty, but give me time to warm up." She was going be commentating the game whether the boys liked it or smacked it back over to the net where Graham then hit a moon ball. Davis lost it in the sun and Keith was trying to find it as well. "Uh-oh, Uh-oh. Sun's blinded them." Sawyer watched the ball hit the sand and she turned to Graham for a high five. "One nothing, us!"

Keith picked up the ball and tossed to his older sister. "You just got lucky."

"Nope. It's cause you suck."

Ben laughed out loud and Keith turned with an arched brow.

"Hey man, you can't pick sides. Refs can't be biased."

"Sorry, sorry." Ben held up his hands. It hadn't be on purpose. Sawyer's timing and snarky attitude would make anyone laugh.

Sawyer stole a quick glance Ben's way and found herself smiling. She tossed the ball back to Graham and looked back to her brother. "Win the next point and it'll be even." She shrugged one of her shoulders and watched Graham send the ball barreling toward Davis. The Baker guy froze as the it came at his face and he ducked away.

"Ace!" Graham nodded and pointed at Sawyer.

"Davis!"

"What! It was coming right at me." Davis held out his hands looking to Keith. He wasn't about to get a broken nose. He had a date with a new girl tomorrow night.

"Gotta dig for those." Sawyer laughed with her brow and caught the ball back from her brother. Keith looked pissed, and Sawyer kinda sorta loved seeing him squirm. He was a sore loser and she knew it.

"Just serve." Keith glared at Sawyer and really felt like throwing sand in her mouth. If she kept pestering him and if he and Davis kept losing Keith just might.

Well, much to poor Keith's ego he and Davis lost, and they lost terribly. Ben nearly called the mercy rule but knew that might cause World War III. It had been fun and entertaining to watch, but being on the losing team didn't sit well with the twenty-six year old. Apparently Grandpa Dan's intense need to win everything was passed on to Keith.

"Good game, Keith. That was fun." Sawyer had a cheeky grin but wasn't aware what was about to hit her.

With a disguised smile and an extended hand, Keith shook his sister's hand. "Can't win 'em all."

"Nope. You can't." Sawyer nodded with a smirk and then saw her brother's other hand come into view and then land on her head. She felt the soft crunch the sand made as it settled atop her head and Sawyer closed her eyes as tiny granules rolled off her face. "What. The. Hell."

"Can't win 'em all, but I can settle the score." Keith laughed and started to quickly walk away. He knew he better get away fast or she might pounce on him.

"Oh my God." Sawyer slowly leaned her head back and let the sand fall off her head. Tasting some in her mouth, she tried to blow it out but it was everywhere. Still talking out loud, Sawyer tried to shake the sand out of her hair. "I'm going to kill him."

"It's not too bad being an only child." Davis walked passed Sawyer and lightly patted her on the back with a laugh.

Instantly, Sawyer marched toward the water and knew the only possible way to get most of the sand out was to rinse it. She swam through the waves but the salty water was not doing the trick. She could scrape her nails across her scalp and still find enough sand to fill a child's sandbox.

Sawyer would only have to deal with a sandy head for a couple more hours though. It wouldn't be long until she left for home before going downtown to watch the fireworks. She'd at least take a quick shower before going back out. There was a sticky mixture of salt, sand, and sweat that coated her skin she wanted off as well.

When she gathered her towel ready to leave, Sawyer walked over to the hoses to rinse off her feet.

Keith came up behind her. "Get mine, will you?" Sawyer sprayed her ankles and toes and then moved the water to her brother's. The guy looked to the girl and nodded. "So is this a truce?"

"Sure." Sawyer squirted the water on her brother's feet and then watched him walk away. "Hey, Keith?"

"Yeah?" He turned around and was sprayed in the face.

"I changed my mind." Sawyer moved the hose so the stream of water hit the length of his body. Laughing, Sawyer knew her little brother couldn't out play her. She finished her feet and started to turn off the nozzel.

"Hold up. Let me get mine."

Sawyer looked over her shoulder and saw Ben fast approaching. She held out the hose and handed it to him. "Here."

"Thanks." He started to spray the sand off of him and looked to Sawyer. "Baby powder or baking soda."

She'd turned to walk away but turned back. "What?"

"To get the sand out of your hair. Use baby powder or baking soda. It'll work better than regular shampoo."

Laughing, Sawyer started to squint. "And you know this because...?"

Shrugging, Ben put up the hose. "I don't know. It's just one of those things."

He finished with the water, and they both started walking toward their cars . Step for step and thinking about his recommendation, Sawyer laughed while shaking her head. There was short silence between the two of them until Sawyer got to her car.

Ben saw that her top was up and he grinned. "So you took my advice, huh?"

"Maybe." Sawyer shrugged and pulled out her keys. He smiled and started to walk away, but Sawyer wanted to say something else. "Ben?"

He turned around and looked at her.

Sawyer tossed her stuff in her car and walked the few feet over to him. She took a deep breath and met his blue eyes with hers. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a million different things."

"Sawyer you don't have to apo..."

"But I do. I need to." She nodded and laughed a little and she shrugged. "You have been nicer to me than you _ever_ needed to be. When we were together and when we weren't. I was a royal bitch who took advantage of your kindness, and I hate myself for it. _Trust_ me."

After her mom visited her up in Boston Sawyer realized forgiveness is what she'd been looking for and running from. Not forgiveness from him, but from herself. Ever since that dreaded trip to California three years ago she'd been on a downward spiral of self pity and doubt which had been masked with an overload of snark and sarcasm. She'd always have a personalized wit that would define her character, but apologizing to Ben was the new leaf she'd been trying to turn over for years. Maybe this time it would stick, and stick for good.

Sawyer heard the ocean crash against the shore and looked up to Ben. "I just...can we start over or something? I mean you're here. I'm here. I don't see that changing and we should be able to be friends. I don't want things to be awkward anymore."

With his goofy twelve year old ways, Ben grinned and held out his hand. "Ben Trammell. Nice to meet you."

Hanging her head with a laugh, she looked back up to him. "I wasn't joking."

"Me either. " He nodded and looked from his hand to her. "It's O.J., right?

Feeling her smile, the blonde shook her head. "Sawyer." She slowly shook his warm hand, "Sawyer Scott." Maybe they could actually be friends. Their flirty banter would probably never fade but as long as Annie didn't mind, they wouldn't have a problem. It was just how Sawyer and Ben worked.

Ben scanned her face and nodded as he started to back away. "See you around, O.J."

Sawyer watched Ben turn around and walk towards his car, and Sawyer walked back to the driver's side of hers. She never thought that would have gone so smoothly or so easily, but Ben did always have a way in surprising her.

"Hey, I don't know if we're gonna make it downtown." Charlotte walked up behind Sawyer and had a sleeping little girl in her arms. "She's out and..."

"That's fine." Sawyer understood. She saw Graham walking toward them with the diaper bag, beach bag, and umbrella.

Noticing Sawyer's pleasant demeanor, Charlotte arched her brow. "Wait...what's with you?" Hadn't she just been complaining about all that sand in her hair?

Shaking her head, Sawyer shrugged. "Nothing." She looked left and could see the guy from Tennessee walking to his old 4-Runner. "I think Ben and I will _actually_ be able to be friends." She looked to the sleeping baby and then to Charlotte. "I kind of wish Annie had been here so I could have said something to her too, but I know the ER gets crowded with idiots burning themselves today."

Smiling, Charlotte shook her head. "Sawyer...Annie and Ben aren't together anymore. They broke up." The shock on her cousin's face made Charlotte laugh. "I tried to tell you but you always cut me off."

"Wait, what? When did that happen?"

"The day I called you about Hattie walking."

Sawyer was now realizing all the times Charlotte had tried to slip in the information and rolled her eyes at herself. "But why'd they break up?"

Rubbing on Hattie's back, Charlotte started for the car. She smirked with a shrug. "You tell me."

Sawyer watched her best friend walk by and she stood by her car with the news still sinking in. Did this change things? Well, yeah, sort of. Sawyer never thought about Ben as _single_ Ben. But was _single_ Ben different than _taken_ Ben? She wasn't sure, but this new information made it a whole new ball game.

Batter up.

**OTHOTH**

**So...Sawyer confronted Ben and kissed him, did a little soul searching in Beantown, came back and she and Ben are starting fresh...as friends. But now Annie's out of the picture. What's gonna happen now? Anything? Maybe...maybe not. Depending on the length of next chapter we'll find out and J will come into the picture. More puzzle pieces, I know, but pretty soon it will all fit together!**

**My reviewers: Thank you so, so, so much for your feedback!**

**BenFan: I hope you liked the new chapter! Thank so much for the review!**

**Joan: You're right. Nick and that relationship acted like more of a growing experience for Sawyer. I think she loved him and really wanted it to work out but it's not always that easy. Well, looks like you got your wish in that Annie is out of the picture. For good? Eh...she may pop back into frame from time to time. And who knows...maybe you're right about introducing a new guy for Sawyer. That's definitely not out of the picture. **

**Review Please  
**


	16. Either Side of the Same Town

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 16: Either Side of the Same Town**

**Disclaimer: For the sixteenth time already...I don't own anything related to the show. **

**A/N: Sawyer is single. Ben is single. Will they or won't they? Should they or should they not? I guess it's just a big bag of questions at this point. Maybe this chapter will shed some light? The first section has a little bit of material regarding Davis and sets up the following two sections. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

It had been two weeks since Sawyer had been to the beach with her friends; two weeks since she'd creamed Keith and Davis on the volleyball court; two weeks since she and Ben decided they could be friends.

Instead of the beach, though, Sawyer was spending this summer day at Tric. It was a summer night, really. She'd just finished up work and had taken a seat at the bar that made Tric a staple in Tree Hill. It was a place that would never change. Good music, good people, good drinks, and good times.

Walking toward the girl he'd worked with for a while now, Neil nodded at the blonde. "What can I get you?"

"Something good." Sawyer didn't care. She knew Neil had her her choice of liquor or beer memorized. It wasn't likely that he was gonna get her a crappy drink.

As the Tric bartender walked away, Sawyer scanned her eyes over the growing crowd. It was just past eight and people were starting to trickle in for the live music and drink specials. Sawyer had been working late with her mom and had walked out of Red Bedroom Records to see the evening drinkers and music lovers already staking out there places at the bar and tall tables. Open mic night always drew a big crowd. They'd have it twice a month and the talent from local groups or singer-songwriters never failed to entertain everyone.

A few familiar faces even showed up.

Davis and his date walked in from outside and he headed over to the bar. He looked like a goofy twenty four year old smitten with his lady friend, and Sawyer couldn't help but grin at the guy as he approached. He obviously had no idea his mom was with Peyton in the studio.

"Neil...two beers, please." Davis held out two fingers and then turned to Sawyer.

Smirking with a squint, Sawyer twisted her stool in his direction. "Well, well..."

Davis looked to Sawyer and walked with his date closer to the blonde. He turned to introduce the girl by his side. "Sawyer...this is Amelia." Turning to the girl he'd gone out with two other times, Davis introduced Sawyer. "Amelia, this is my...cousin, Sawyer." It was too confusing to explain that they weren't actually related, but that they'd grown up with each other as family. "She and her mom run Red Bedroom Records."

"Hi." The dark haired girl smiled at Sawyer as she leaned into her date. "Nice to meet you."

Trying to sum up the girl in one glance, the blonde smiled. This girl was cute as a button. "Oh, Aunt Brooke is going to _love_ you." Sawyer grinned at Davis and laughed.

Davis looked to Amelia and widened his eyes. He hadn't introduced her to his parents yet, and certainly not his mom. He'd only been on a few dates with her. He and Amelia were just testing the waters. And while it had been smooth sailing so far, Davis didn't want Sawyer's comment to make Amelia uncomfortable, so he changed the subject. "How's the line-up tonight? Anyone good?" He looked to Sawyer pleadingly.

"You could say that. Same ole', same ole'. We've got a couple newbies, and they're good."

"So you're a music person?" Amelia took it upon herself to sit down and get to know Sawyer.

The two girls chatted for a little while. Turned out Amelia Parish was all kinds of adorable. A short thing, she liked adventure but had a serious side to her, too. Her week days were filled with little kids and pudding cups while she worked as a pre-school teacher, but her weekends were taken over with things ranging from mountain biking to excursions in antique malls. Davis had more or less fallen out of the picture as she and Sawyer talked, but he figured it was fine as long as the blonde didn't scare his date away. Neil brought their drinks and after fifteen minutes, Sawyer had to excuse herself. One of the acts realized his amp cable shorted out, and Sawyer was sure she had the needed equipment in the studio.

Much to her surprise, Sawyer saw her mom and aunt still in the studio when she walked in there. "What are you two still doing here? I thought you had dinner plans?"

"We do, but _somebody_ wants to finish up here before we leave." Brooke was sitting in the chair across from Peyton's desk and shook her head.

"I'm _almost done_. I just want to get this processed." Peyton typed away on her computer as she worked to finish the production demo.

Turning to the younger music lover, Brooke raised one of her brows. "She said that fifteen minutes ago."

"I'm sorry..." Peyton knew that her husband, Nathan and Haley, and Julian were probably already finished with appetizers at the restaurant. She raised her shoulders and winced.

"And it's exactly why I _came to get you_." Brooke looked back to Peyton and shook her head. "I knew if we left it up to you, you'd end up calling...telling us you'd have to skip dinner plans to finish up."

"Is it just the demo?" Sawyer walked over to the corner of the room and picked up a cable. "I can finish that. I'll be here for a while."

"See..." Brooke looked to Peyton and nodded. "Perfect."

Peyton hadn't thought to ask Sawyer but if she was going to offer, Peyton might as well take her daughter up on it. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll take these out there and then come back for a little bit to finish up." She knew her mom was meticulous when it came to demos, but she knew the drill. "I can handle it." Kicking her head towards the door, Sawyer nodded. "Go..."

"Come on, Peyt...we're going." Brooke stood up and waved her best friend over. "Chop, chop." She thought she'd lead by example and head to the parking lot, but when Brooke disappeared into Tric she came right back in the studio.

Peyton had grabbed her thing and held out her hands as she walked toward the exit. "I thought we were leaving?"

Wide-eyed, Brooke shook her head, "Davis is out there...with...with some girl." Very animated in her response, the raspy voiced woman crossed her hands in front of her chest. "If he sees me he'll think I was..._checking up_ on him or something."

"No he won't." Sawyer had the cable wrapped around her arm and she was about to take it to the guy who needed to borrow it. "He's utterly captivated by her. He probably won't even notice you."

With that Brooke's eyes went wider. "Wait a minute...you've seen them together already?" Sitting down, Brooke decided dinner could wait. This was her only son they were talking about. Her only son who was out with a girl she didn't know and had only heard vaguely of. She eyed Sawyer and nodded to the empty spot on the couch. "Spill."

"Brooke! I thought we were leaving." Peyton laughed as she slapped her hands by her side.

"Hold on, blondie. This is my baby we're talking about." It didn't matter if Davis was twenty four or one hundred and four. Brooke was still his mom and couldn't help her wondering mind. Looking to Sawyer, who had yet to sit down, Brooke nodded. "Is she cute? What's her name? I don't even _know_ her name? Where's she from? What's she do?"

Sawyer couldn't help but laugh at her aunt's enthusiasm and shrugged. "I don't know all the details, but her name is Amelia." That's really all Sawyer needed to tell Brooke. If Davis wanted to introduce them at some point later on he could do that. As much as Sawyer wanted to give Brooke her own quick judgements, it wasn't really her place.

Squinting, Brooke thought long and hard about that name. "...Amelia."

"She probably flies planes." Peyton laughed and then laughed harder when Brooke didn't get the joke. "Come on, Brooke. The others are waiting."

Sawyer tilted her head towards the door. "Look...I'll walk out there and you and Mom can walk out after me. I guarantee you won't be spotted." The youngest of the three women slowly walked to the door. "And if you look to the bar when you leave, you might see them; fulfill your curiosity."

"Fine, fine..." The fashion lover got up and started walking directly behind Peyton. At least she could semi-hide with Peyton's height.

The three of them walked out into Tric and Sawyer couldn't help but smile when the older two split away. She gave the cable to the guy working sound, quickly finished up the demo, and then found her spot at the bar. Davis and Amelia wandered off towards the stage when the first act started to play, and Sawyer was content chatting with Neil, munching on pretzels, and sipping on her drink.

"Is that seat taken?"

Sawyer looked over her shoulder and saw a familiar looking guy pointing at the stool next to her. Shaking her head, Sawyer answered him. "Nope." She tried to place him and watched him take his seat. "Do I know you?"

Smiling the dark haired man shrugged. "You came into the store yesterday."

Putting the pieces together, Sawyer nodded. "At the hardware store. Right. Okay, yeah..." Yesterday Sawyer went into Cape Fear Hardware and Supply to buy some screws for the additional shelving unit she'd bought for her growing record collection. Her upstairs music room was already in need of more space.

"Did those pieces fit?"

Smiling, Sawyer laughed. "To be honest...I haven't even checked. I figured I'd make it a weekend project."

The dark haired man, who seemed to be in his early thirties nodded. "I'm Emmett, by the way."

Remembering, Sawyer nodded. "It was on your shirt." She pointed to a spot on her chest where she'd seen his embroidered name on the red store shirt.

Taking his beer from Neil and nodding, Emmett laughed. "I've been trying to tell Dad we can get rid of those shirts, but he likes the traditional feel of it."

"Oh...wait." Sawyer hadn't realized that he was Mr. Fuller's son. "Emmett Fuller?"

"That's me."

Sawyer had just assumed he'd been a regular store clerk, not the son of the man who owned it. Old man Fuller's shop, like Tric and the Riverwalk, were staples in town. It was the only family run hardware store around, and if Sawyer remembered right, Emmett graduated high school just a couple years ahead of her. "You probably don't remember me but..."

"Sawyer Scott." Emmett nodded. He remembered. "Small town."

"Very small town." Sawyer nodded and laughed. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you yesterday."

"Kinda happens with age, I guess." He looked to down to his stomach and patted it. "Put a few on since high school."

Not much. As Sawyer's memory started to come back, she shook her head. He wasn't that much bigger than he was in high school. "You played basketball, right?"

"More like a glorified bench warmer, but yeah. I was on the team." He grinned and took a swig of his beer.

"So what are you doing back here? Didn't you go to school in Colorado or Utah...somewhere?"

"Montana." Emmett nodded, "I spent a lot of time out there but Dad needed someone to take care of the shop. I'll take over for him in the next year." He looked over to the Red Bedroom Record door and back to Sawyer. "And I guess you'll be doing the same at some point?"

Smiling, Sawyer arched her brow. "Mom's still really hands on, so I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"I thought the same thing about Dad." He grinned and shrugged as he looked to the studio. "It might be sooner than you think."

For the next hour or so, the music swirled around Sawyer and Emmett as they continued to catch up. He was just a normal guy, who lived a normal life, and Sawyer found herself interested in their conversation. There wasn't an immediate attraction or butterflies, but as the night grew, the blonde was starting to find herself laugh and smile more tonight than she had in the last month.

Neil walked over to the twosome and nodded at Sawyer's drink? "Want another one?"

Shaking her head, she pushed the glass toward the edge of the bar. "Actually, no. I better not."

"It's on me." Emmett looked to Sawyer and smiled. They'd been having a good time, couldn't she stay a little longer?

She could tell they were flirting now, but knew she better get home. Trout had been inside all day. "I actually need to head out of here. Next time?" Sawyer got off the bar stool and secured her bag on her arm.

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

Walking backwards, Sawyer held her hands out with a smile. "I'm here everyday. Stop by whenever." She turned her back on Emmett and started to walk to her car. Sawyer made it down the stairs and across the gravel to her car and pulled out her phone. Charlotte would get a kick out of seeing Emmett Fuller.

Sawyer scrolled through her contacts and waited for her best friend to answer as she pulled out of the parking lot.

The line picked up and Sawyer laughed. "You'll never guess who I ran into tonight?"

"Who?"

The deep voice on the the other end of the line made Sawyer furrow her brow, "Ben? Why did you answer Charlotte's phone?"

Laughing, Ben shook his head. "This is _my_ phone, OJ."

"What?" Sawyer pulled her phone back and saw that his name was on her screen. "Well shit, I was trying to call Charlotte."

Grinning, Ben laughed again. He was at his apartment watching a baseball game and turned down the volume. "How'd the open mic night go? Somebody show up you weren't expecting?" From her initial question, he knew that she had something gossipy to tell Graham's wife.

Shaking her head, Sawyer smiled. "No. Not really. I just ran into someone I sorta knew in high school."

"Oh..." Ben leaned back on the couch and grinned. "Was it one of those bitchy girls you didn't like?"

Laughing, the blonde turned toward her street. She grinned thinking about the time she'd told him about all the bitches in high school she knew. "No, just some guy."

His brows arched and his silently nodded. A guy. Okay, Ben could deal with that. Guy and girl friends talked about these kinds of things, right? "Was he singing? Gonna be your next great artist?"

"Hardly." Sawyer shook her head but then frowned. "Well actually, I don't know if he sings. We were only talking at the bar. His dad owns the hardware shop on Princess Street."

"Oh yeah..." Ben knew the one she was talking about.

"By the way, did you get those screws, and am I still supposed to come help you put the shelves up tomorrow?"

"Yes I got them, and if you still want to...yeah. I would ask Keith, but we don't work together well." All of the other brawny guys she knew in Tree Hill were busy, so Ben was her best bet.

"Yeah, I'll do it. It's not a problem."

Sawyer pulled into her driveway and parked the car. "I guess once the shelves are up I'll have to re-stock them with my albums. That's gonna be a bitch. Maybe I'll buy a six pack and bribe you into helping me with that, too."

Laughing, Ben nodded. "Might work, but there's a double header on tomorrow against the Mets so I can't say I'll be that helpful."

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer walked to the front door and was met by Trout. "Wanna say hey to Trout?" She knew Ben would and put him on speaker. She held out the phone and then laughed. "Say something, Ben."

"Trout. What are you doing?" The Coastie put on a funny voice and the dog's ears perked up.

Sawyer walked to the kitchen and opened up the back door. She watched Trout bound outside and she winced. "Maybe we shouldn't have done that. I think he's looking for you." Taking the phone off speaker, Sawyer held it back to her ear. "I think he's chasing something in the backyard." Trout was hot on something's trail and was all over trying to get it.

"He's got a nose on him."

"It's just too bad he's clumsy."

Remembering how he'd trip over himself as a puppy, Ben nodded. "Yeah, he never grew out of that, did he?"

"Not really." Sawyer left the backdoor open and headed for the couch. She turned on her stereo before, she hit the television.

Ben could hear the background noise and knew she was messing with her music. "What's it gonna be tonight? Costello?"

"You would think..." Sawyer hit her iPod and put it on shuffle. "But I'm gonna mix it up." She pressed play and cranked up the sound. "Josh Ritter, 'Change of Time'."

"That's a good one."

"Glad I have your approval." Sawyer headed back to the kitchen when Trout pranced back inside and opted for some popcorn after she shut the door.

Ben heard the microwave ding as she pressed the buttons. "Late dinner?"

"Maybe?" She got a Coke out of her fridge and arched her brow. "What marvelous thing did you have for dinner? A bowl of cereal?"

"Hot dogs, the best game food on the planet." You couldn't go wrong with hot dogs topped with chili while watching a game.

"That's right...how could I forget?" Sawyer left the popcorn popping in the microwave and walked back into the living room. "Who's winning?"

"The Braves."

"They're having a good season, aren't they?" Sawyer kept up a little with baseball and knew the team had been doing well.

"Yeah, they are. They're on a tear, really."

"I bet your dad's happy about that." Mr. Trammell was as big of a Braves fan as Ben.

Nodding, Ben grinned. "Yeah."

Sawyer found the channel and saw the score. "Five to one, top of the fifth. Not bad."

"And we're up to bat." Ben looked at his screen, "With our best hitter."

"Ow...Trout..." Sawyer felt the dog lay down on her foot and she tried to pull it out from under him.

"What he do?"

Moving her feet up on the couch, Sawyer laughed. "Just being him."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Leaning down, Sawyer smiled and rubbed on the dog's head. "No, he just gets on my nerves. I still love him though." She rubbed Trout's ear and nodded. "Don't I?"

Ben watched the player on the screen get called out on strikes. "That was high! What the hell!"

Sawyer held the phone away from her ear. "Still on the phone..."

Hearing Sawyer, Ben laughed, "Sorry." The song changed in the background, and the Coastie didn't recognize it. "Who's singing that song?"

"Slaid Cleaves."

He didn't know who that was, but really liked the name. "What a badass rock name."

Nodding, Sawyer thought so too. "But he's not really rock."

Ben could tell. "Singer songwriter?"

"Mmm-huh. He's an old guy now. Mostly plays in Austin." She put it back on speaker phone and set the phone on the coffee table.

Liking what he was hearing, Ben sighed. "Guess I should have seen him when I was in Texas." As he listened to the music through the phone, Ben knew more than a few minutes had passed. "Did you get your popcorn?"

"Shit!" Sawyer hopped off the couch and hurried into the kitchen. She'd somehow blocked out the pungent aroma of burning kernels. Still on the other end of the line, Ben could hear Sawyer cussing like a sailor. She pulled out the blackened popcorn and threw it in the trash. "Dammit to hell!"

She walked right back over to the phone and picked it up. "I bet you knew that was gonna happen, didn't you?"

"Well I didn't _know_, but it crossed my mind."

"You're a terrible friend, Ben Trammell. Terrible." She sat back down on the couch and glanced at the television.

Laughing, Ben shook his head, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." Sawyer tossed the phone at the other end of the couch and laughed at herself. How she could manage to burn even the simplest of things was beyond her. Granted, it wasn't like she hadn't been doing something else. She'd been talking with Ben. Even through menial conversation, he kept her pre-occupied, but wasn't that how good friends worked?

Seemed so, and Sawyer and Ben were doing pretty well with the friends thing so far. It had only been a little while, but so far, so good. Tomorrow would be another test. They hadn't spent too much time together by themselves, so putting up shelves would be an interesting task.

Sawyer held her hands out as she watched the television capture the latest play of the game. "Home run!"

"Booyah! That a way boys!" Ben was watching the same game in his apartment and clapped as he watched a member of his favorite team round the bases.

It was funny, really. Baseball was more than a game. It was a lot like life. Sometimes you strike out, and sometimes you hit a home run. Sawyer and Ben had done both. Together, they'd been really good and they'd been really bad. But now they were on separate teams, both swinging for the fences looking for that World Series kind of love.

And they'd find it. They'd both find it and knock it out of the park...it was just a matter of when and with whom.

**OTHOTH**

The next morning Sawyer rolled out of bed around ten to a knock on her door. It was Saturday morning, _at ten,_ didn't whoever was at the door know that she liked to _sleep in_ on Saturdays? That had always been her thing. Unless she had to work or had big plans, which she didn't, Sawyer would often be lazy all day.

She shuffled to the door and ran her hand through her tangled mess of hair. Sawyer opened the door wondering if it was USP or FedEx, but saw Ben. "What, are you doing here? It's early...and I'm not wearing a bra." Sawyer crossed her arms over her chest and a furrowed brow. "I thought we were doing the shelf stuff this _afternoon_."

"It's gonna take longer than you think." He laughed and stepped inside. "But I brought breakfast."

Perking up, Sawyer yawned, "Really?"

"No, I'm lying." With sarcasm in his voice, he put down the Chick-Fil-A bag and turned back to her grinning. "Chicken biscuits."

Everybody liked a chicken biscuit, and Sawyer walked right by him. "Okay...I hate you a little less now."

Ben just laughed and watched her grab her food and head back to the bedroom. "Where are you going?"

"To get dressed..." Her voiced echoed down the hall as Ben looked around the kitchen.

He opened up the fridge and then pulled out something to drink with a smirk. He made himself at home at the kitchen table and tossed Trout a few hash browns on occasion. Fifteen minute later, Sawyer walked into the kitchen and Ben looked at her wet hair. "You took a shower?" What they were doing was manual labor. "You do know that this is a break-a-sweat kind of thing, right?"

"So I'll take another one." She rolled her eyes and sat down. "What's the game plan?"

"You tell me?"

With a funny smile, Sawyer arched her brow. "Me? All I know is that shelves are going up."

Laughing at her, Ben sipped on his orange juice. "Well...is it clear up there so we can work?"

"Yeah...sorta."

"Sawyer..."

"What? I wasn't expecting you to get here so _early_." She shrugged and took one of the rounded hash browns.

"And now your stealing my food?" Ben could only laugh at the girl sitting next to him and got up. "Let's get moving. I have a feeling I'll be here _all_ day."

"You say that like it's a _bad_ thing." Sawyer followed him upstairs and into her the room on the left.

Ben saw the piles of records on the floor, on the shelves, and on the desk. It was like Sawyer had raided a music store and was hiding all her albums up here. He'd been up there six weeks ago and it wasn't this cluttered. "When did you get all these?"

Sawyer shrugged. "I got a lot of new ones up in Boston. I know it's a mess..." She glanced to the overflowing shelves and then to Ben, "But that's why you're helping me."

She probably had over a thousand in the little room, and sixty of them needed to be shelved and alphabetized. Ben took a deep breath and looked to Sawyer. "Where's the shelf stuff."

He was going to hate her. "In the backyard."

"Downstairs?" He had to go _back_ downstairs?

"Well where else was I going to put it? I had to paint it first." She watched him leave and called out. "And at least it's _already_ cut." It wasn't like it had rained or anything. After she'd gotten the appropriate two by whatevers, Sawyer just plopped them in the yard, painted them the color of the dark green walls, and figured they were good to go. No harm, no foul.

As Ben walked downstairs he could only shake his head. Maybe this was a bad idea. Ben thought he was being nice in helping her, but they could still be friends if he'd said no, couldn't they? Maybe he'd tell her he got called in to doing something on the boat or at the base?

No. He couldn't. He wasn't going to lie. It wouldn't be so bad once they got everything upstairs and started working.

When he got outside, he grabbed a few boards and looked up to the window on the second floor. She'd opened it and he could hear the music she'd turned on. He was surprised to see her coming down the stairs as he went back up and only smirked at her.

"What? Don't look so surprised. I'm _actually_ going to help." She walked to the hall closet and pulled out the toolbox that had been used four times in the seven years she'd had it.

Once everything they needed were upstairs, Sawyer and Ben got to work. At first it had been rather difficult. They couldn't agree on what the level was saying. Ben didn't want to drill into the wall unless he knew the shelf would be straight, but Sawyer wasn't too worried about straight selves. So what if they slanted a little? After the level disagreement, then came the nailing issues. Ben thought it would be best to angle the nails for support, but Sawyer was hitting hers all straight on.

Sawyer and Ben were oil and water and they always would be. There wasn't any hope of that changing. Not even when it came to building shelves.

On her sixth nail, Sawyer keeled over in pain. "Eff my life!" Sawyer missed the nailhead and smashed her thumbnail with the head of her hammer. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and winced.

"I told you to go at an angle." Ben smacked his nail in one fail swoop and looked to Sawyer unsympathetically.

In a testy mood, Sawyer cut her eyes at Ben. "Oh, Jesus...fine. Your way works better." Still grimacing, Sawyer took a few deep breaths and held her hand out so she could see her throbbing thumb. "My fingernail is gonna fall off, won't it? Great. That'll look _awesome_."

Ben laughed and walked over to her side of the shelves. "It's not gonna fall off, Sawyer." He gently took her hand and looked at her bluing nail. "Okay...maybe it will."

"Ben!"

"I'm kidding." He grinned and walked back over to his side. "You're gonna be fine."

"Maybe I should take a break." Sawyer was looking for an out. "Are you hungry? I can make lunch or...pick something up."

"That's fine."

Sawyer's thumb still felt like it was on fire and she looked at Ben with a raised brow. "Any place in particular?"

"Uh...anywhere that does sandwiches is good with me."

"So Subway?" Couldn't he have just said that in the first place?

He nodded. "Sure."

Sawyer walked out of the room and grabbed her keys as fast as she could. Why did he make her want to pull her hair out? It was a question that would remain a mystery for as long as Sawyer knew Ben.

As the blonde pulled away from her house and towards the sandwich shop, Charlotte turned on Sawyer's street. She hadn't talked to Sawyer in what felt like forever and since Graham was watching their 15 month old, the brunette was gonna stop by. The only problem was that Sawyer had just left.

Seeing Ben's car by the curb, Charlotte parked behind his and made her way into her old house. "Sawyer? Ben?" She hadn't seen Sawyer's car but that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't there. Music danced its way downstairs and Charlotte followed the tune. When she got upstairs, she stopped in the doorway of the music room and smiled at the Coastie hammering away. "Hi, Ben."

Turning around, Ben grinned. "Well hey, Charlotte." He looked to the mess in the room and then back to Graham's wife. "Doing a little handy work."

"I can see that." She looked around and then arched her brow. "Where's Saw?"

"Picking up sandwiches." He started to laugh as he hammered in a nail. "She got a little pissed when she hit her thumb with the hammer." Ben shrugged as he put a nail in his mouth, squinting at the work he'd done so far. "But it's probably better that way. We were getting on each other's nerves."

"You two?" Charlotte's tone was sarcastic, "You don't say."

"Yeah...just a _little_."

Picking up an album, Charlotte laughed when she glanced to Ben. "It's because you two bicker like an old married couple."

"I don't know about that..." He took the nail from his mouth and started to bang it against the wood.

Charlotte walked towards the window and looked outside. She turned to Ben and saw the guy who'd fallen for her best friend five years ago. Now he was working on building shelves for Sawyer, and Charlotte wasn't so sure a _friend_ would go through all that trouble. "Just ask her out, Ben."

Laughing out loud, the Tennessean shook his head. "It's not that easy, Charlotte."

"But you still love her. We all know it, and somewhere deep down I think Sawyer knows too." Charlotte was a smart girl. She knew Sawyer and Ben were both sitting on their feelings when what they should be doing is acting on them. If they didn't now, the opportunity might pass them by.

Sighing, Ben knew he was about to get a 'go get her, man' kind of speech. "Leave it alone, Charlotte. We're friends. Sawyer and I work better that way."

Charlotte didn't buy it for a second. "What's it gonna hurt?"

It could hurt a lot. They'd already been through the ringer once. Twice wasn't what Ben was looking for. He and Sawyer could be friends. Better friends, than nothing at all. Turning around to face the brown-eyed twenty eight year old, Ben shook his head. "You asking me to ask out Sawyer is like me asking you to eat oysters. It's not gonna happen."

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh and tried to make a comeback. "Well...if that oyster loved me, I think I might take a chance."

Sawyer didn't love him. Ben knew she didn't. Well, he didn't know, but it was pretty obvious that she'd gotten over her past relationships. "She told you that?"

"No...but she didn't have to. It's just one of those things a best friend knows."

Ben looked at Charlotte and the back to the shelves. "Hold this board for me, will ya?"

Why did he do that? He was such a good conversation changer. He could have majored in conversation changing for all Charlotte knew, but maybe it was best if she left it alone? The brown eyed mother took a deep breath as she held the board still for Ben and decided she'd leave it alone...for a little while. She might have to be a little more proactive in her methods later on down the road, but right now she'd quit meddling.

"What are Graham and Hattie up to today?"

Smiling because Ben went right into changing the conversation, Charlotte answered and the two friends continued to talk until Sawyer got back.

The blonde walked upstairs and saw Charlotte and Ben working together much better than she and Ben had. She made it in the room and whistled. "Who knew, Charlotte Scott the carpenter."

Charlotte turned around and smiled at her cousin. "I heard you had a hammering accident."

Sawyer put the Subway bags on the desk and held out her thumb. "Look. It's nasty."

Ben hammered the last board that Charlotte had held and shook his head. "It's not that bad."

"Oh gross!" Charlotte had seen her fair share of nasty lately with dirty diapers, but a black and blue fingernail was really disgusting.

"That's what I thought." Sawyer scolded her poor hammer skills with one look at her thumb, and then she glanced at the sandwiches. "If I had known you were stopping by I would have grabbed you one."

"Oh no, it's fine. I was just stopping by for a little while."

Sawyer's phone started to ring and she pulled it out with a furrowed brow. "Why is Neil calling me right now? Hello?" She answered with a little bit of a puzzled laugh.

"Hey. I'm at the bar and that guy you were talking with last night is here. I think he's looking for you."

"Emmett?" Sawyer felt her stomach do a flip for a few reasons. He was already back to see her, that was kind of sweet, but why was he there so early? Her eyes went wide when she remembered what she'd told him. "Oh, shit. I told him I'm there all the time. He probably dropped by to see me."

"Yeah, so do you want me to tell him you're not coming in. It's only twelve thirty. You're not here on Saturday's until...late."

"Uh...no I'll come down there. Keep him...busy or something."

"Alright. I will."

"Thanks, Neil. I owe you." Sawyer shut her phone and smiled.

"Who's Emmett?" Why did Charlotte feel like she was completely out of the loop? Sawyer normally told her everything.

"Oh...I forgot to tell you. Emmett Fuller...you know, hardware store Mr. Fuller's son." Using her throbbing thumb to point to the door. "I ran into him last night and he's at Tric...waiting on me or something so I..." Looking to Ben, Sawyer furrowed her brow. "I don't want to just leave you here. Can we finish this tomorrow?"

There wasn't much left. "I can probably finish it. I'll let myself out."

"Okay, perfect, thanks." Sawyer disappeared from the music room and left Charlotte in a state of shock.

The brunette turned to Ben and punched him in the arm four times with her left hand.

"Ow, Charlotte..."

Her eyes were wide and her mouth fell open. "I told you! Ben..." She lowered her voice and held out her hands, "You're missing your chance."

Ben ran his hand over his arm and laughed. "I think your engagement ring got me."

Waving her hand in front of him, Charlotte wasn't sure Ben was comprehending anything. "Ben, hello?"

"It's just some guy. It's not a big deal." He shrugged it off and turned back to the shelves.

Charlotte wasn't sure why Ben was acting like he didn't have any balls, but it was on the verge of annoying. "Let me...I have to..." She started to ramble and walked downstairs.

Sawyer was in her room tossing on various outfits and heard Charlotte come in."How's this look?"

"First off, back up a minute. What's the deal with Emmett?"

Sawyer looked down to her shorts and nice tank. "Nothing really. We talked at the bar last night, and I kinda told him I'm always at Tric and to stop by anytime... Well, he's there now, and I'm not so..."

"Do you like him?"

Glancing at herself in the mirror, Sawyer wasn't sure. "I don't know? There might be some potential there."

Was it bad that Charlotte was already no liking this Emmett guy? There had to be something she could do to keep her Sawyer and Ben hopes alive. "Well...what are you doing tomorrow night? Graham and I want to go out to dinner. Will you watch Hattie?"

"The mad-hatter? Yeah, sure. What time?" Sawyer looked to Charlotte needing the time.

"Oh, um...six thirty?"

"Sure, that's fine." Sawyer looked to her outfit and wanted Charlotte's approval. "How's this?"

"Fine."

Narrowing her eyes in a squint, Sawyer tilted her head. "Was that a great-fine or a just okay-fine?"

Laughing a little, Charlotte smiled. "A great-fine."

Making sure her phone, keys, and wallet were in her purse, Sawyer headed out the door. "I'll call you later and tell you how it goes."

Charlotte watched Sawyer leave and the brunette ran upstairs.

"Was that her leaving?" Ben was taking a break and eating his sandwich going through the records he could listen to as he finished.

"Yeah." Charlotte walked a little closer and bit her lip. "And before I leave I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."

"I don't have to build shelves, do I?"

Charlotte laughed and shook her head. "No. I was thinking that Graham and I might go out to dinner tomorrow night."

"Oh...so you want me to watch Hattie?"

"Only if you want to."

Nodding, Ben whipped the corner of his mouth, "Yeah, not a problem. I love playing with the little squirt."

Smiling, Charlotte nodded, "Six thirty, okay?"

"Works for me."

"Perfect." Charlotte smiled as she turned around to walk away. "Thanks."

Taking another bite of his sandwich, Ben was happy to do it. He heard Charlotte walk down the steps and out the door. Trout walked into the room and Ben patted him on the side. "Looks pretty good, doesn't it, boy?" Ben studied his handy work and nodded.

The record they'd been spinning scratched as it ended and Ben knew it was time for new tunes. With the pleathora of choices, it might take him a while to choose, but he walked over to the beginning of the alphabet and figured he'd start there.

She had quite the collection. Sawyer literally had every type of music in this room. He was only in the As and saw ABBA, Adele, Allman Brothers, Angles and Airwaves; he could literally stay a month in there listening to everything. Passing through the As and skipping over the Bs, Ben saw the shelf devoted to the Cs. His eyes scanned the fine print and he couldn't help but laugh when he went over The Cure. But just as he was about to pull out one of their albums something else caught his eyes. Cohn. Marc Cohn.

He pulled out the album and didn't know he'd even released his CD on vinyl, let alone that they were still available. But there it was, _Marc Cohn_, the self titled album from 1991. Ben flipped it over and couldn't help but smile at the number one song. "Walking in Memphis".

"You've heard this song, haven't you Trout? I've played it for you, right?" Ben pulled the hard record from its sleeve and heard something hit the floor. He put the record on and then leaned down to pick up what had fallen out. "What's this? Some kind of extra leaf?"

What he thought was paper wasn't paper at all. It was a napkin. A small square napkin that had blue ink scribbled across its white face and Ben furrowed his brow.

He looked to Trout and then back to the napkin. How did she get this? Hadn't he thrown it away?

His eyes landed on the fragmented speech he'd written for Charlotte and Graham's wedding. Ben tossed it before he ever got to say it, but somehow it ended up here.

_I was there the day Graham met Charlotte. It was our first Diligence Dash, which for those who don't know, is a race- a 5K. But Graham didn't run that race with his feet or his mind, he ran it with his heart. And I don't think he's stopped since. That day Charlotte was at the finish line, and today she's here. It's hard to explain it, if you don't what if feels like, but when you lead with your heart everything else falls in to place. When it comes to love, the heart knows best. Don't listen to that other stuff. If Graham had listened to that competitive mind of his, he may have tried to forget about the girl at the registration table, but good for you pal, you didn't. So to Charlotte and Graham for both following their hearts. You've showed me and everyone else how to do it, and do it right. See you at the finish line._

Ben stared at the napkin that was now unfolded and he laughed at himself with a shake of his head. Thank God he never said that at the wedding. He sounded like a girl- all mushy and lovey-dovey. His actual speech was impromptu memories from their time at the Academy had proved to be just as successful.

He held the napkin in his hand and was reminded about what he'd been writing about nealry three years ago. Ben had been on a plane from Texas to North Carolina and hadn't been thinking about Charlotte and Graham. As much as he loved his friends, that little spiel he'd scratched out had been about someone else. He could try to say it wasn't, but it was.

Swallowing hard, Ben folded up the napkin and put it back in the album sleeve. Now he was starting to question things and Marc Cohn wasn't helping him think. He'd been three minutes into the song, right when chorus repeats again, and Ben had to turn it off. He grabbed the closest album and tossed it on the player. Carefully sliding the Cohn record in its sleeve and the napkin in there too, Ben put the album back where he'd found it and took a step back. His breath felt heavy in his chest, and Ben turned to the record player.

Brian Wilson's voice started to come out of the speakers and he laughed at himself for grabbing _Shut Down: Volume Two_. He wasn't really a huge fan of the Beach Boys but it was hard not to nod to the beat. Ben didn't even recognize the first song, and reached for the sleeve. The second one, that was a song he knew. Everyone knew it. The drums, the cosmic summer anthem- "Don't Worry Baby" would put Ben's mind at ease.

He'd finish up in about an hours time. Ben put up the records that needed it, put Sawyer's uneaten lunch in the fridge, played with Trout for a minute in the backyard, and then he left a note on the kitchen counter.

_Got the job done. Hopefully it doesn't fall apart anytime soon. Stuck your sandwich in the fridge in case you want it later. -Ben_

He left Sawyer's house and drove towards home, thinking about the note and about Sawyer. Maybe he should have asked her out? But then again, they were fine like they were.

What he didn't know and what Sawyer didn't know was what Charlotte had come up with. Scheming with all her might, Charlotte wasn't taking her friends' stubbornness lightly. Nothing could come out of it, and that would be fine, but it didn't mean she couldn't try.

Who knows what could happen?

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer was trying her hardest not to be late. She knew how Charlotte got when people were late, and it wasn't like it was that hard of a task to zip over from her house to Charlotte and Graham's. It was less than three miles away. She'd taken Trout for a walk, which was a rare occasion, and somehow the summer sunset threw her timing off. It ended up being later than she thought it was when she'd gotten back that she realized her quick walk turned into a half an hour escape. Now she was rushing to make her six thirty call time.

A red light and two stops signs later, Sawyer pulled up next to the McFarland house and saw Ben's car. "I'm not even that late. They didn't have to call him." Mumbling to herself, she grabbed her purse and ran to the door. "I'm here. I'm here..." Sawyer walked into the house and saw three adults in the kitchen and one adorable baby in the arms of a blue eyed Coastie. The blonde looked to Charlotte and put her hands on her hips. "You didn't have to call Ben. I was on my way."

Looking from the baby to Sawyer, Ben furrowed his brow. "You're babysitting?"

"Yeees." Sawyer let her word linger as she nodded.

Ben glanced to Charlotte, "I thought you wanted me to?"

Graham knew his wife's plan and laughed as he checked his wallet before sliding into his back pocket. "I think she wants _both_ of you to." He looked to Charlotte and knew her plan would hit a bump at this point.

"Two is better than one." Charlotte let out a nervous laugh and quickly headed kissed Hattie's head. "Be good, Hat." Charlotte all but ran to the front door leaving Graham to clean up her mess.

"We won't be gone long." He looked to his friends. "Have fun." Then he took Hattie's hand. "Bye, Minnow."

Suddenly, Sawyer and Ben found themselves alone with Hattie in Charlotte and Graham's house.

The blonde turned to Ben and looked to the door. "I uh...we don't _both_ need to be here. I can go...or you can go."

Ben wasn't going anywhere. He was already holding Hattie and she was perfectly content. "I'm good." He looked to the door and shrugged. "Can't say I won't need your help, though."

"Because I'm the _master_ at this?" Sawyer laughed and rolled her eyes as she joked.

"What do you say, Squirt? You want Aunt Sawyer to stay with you and Uncle Ben?"

Sawyer winced when she heard him say that. "Ugh, I hate when you say that..._Uncle Ben_. You sound like a rice bowl."

Laughing out loud, Ben bounced Hattie around. "I think it's a good name. Don't you, Hat?"

"Loll-lol-la-oll-ol..." Hattie's baby gibberish didn't make any since, but Ben nodded.

He looked to Sawyer with a smile. "She likes it. I think you're outnumbered." He pressed his face close to Hattie's and nodded.

"Quit." She looked to Ben and the baby and squinted. "That's cheating. Don't look at me like that...with a baby." Walking passed him, Sawyer laughed and shook her head. Two against one was bad enough, but adorableness coupled with two against one was just unfair.

"I don't cheat, Kiddo. Don't listen to Aunt Sawyer."

Opening the cabinet that had Hattie's mountain of Gerber food products, Sawyer picked up two. "What'll it be, Mad-Hatter? Chicken or Beef?" The blonde twenty-nine year old held out Hattie's dinner options.

Ben whispered against Hattie's cheek, "Beef."

"Was that chicken I heard?" Sawyer arched her brow towards the two of them and smirked.

"No...beef." Ben squinted at Sawyer as he spoke even though it was still a whisper.

Giving in because Ben Trammell was just too cute with a baby, Sawyer put up the microwaveable chicken dinner and started for the radioactive appliance. She looked over her shoulder and tilted her head towards the living room. "Go...do something. I don't like you watching me."

Ben could only laugh and took Hattie out of the kitchen. He and the tiny brown-eyed tot settled themselves on the couch until Sawyer called them back. The blonde music lover had successfully plated the little girl's food, and even managed to get some water in a sippy cup.

Sawyer noticed Ben looking at the set up and she nodded. "I know. Take it all in. I didn't burn anything _or_ make a mess."

"Nice job, OJ." He gave Sawyer a high five and put Hattie in her high chair. "But I got this..." He sat down next to Hattie and picked up the spoon. "What'll it be. An airplane? Train?"

"Nice job with the creativity." Sawyer laughed because only every person in the world had used the train or plane trick. She opened up the fridge to see what she and Ben could munch on. Charlotte inherited more than her mom's smarts and big beautiful eyes. She could cook. Hopefully there were some sort of leftovers.

"Farm animals?" Lets do that one." Ben picked up the spoon and galloped the food close to Hattie's mouth as he made a horse noise. After a successful bite, Ben looked back to Sawyer. "By the way. I ordered a pizza. It should be here soon."

"Aren't you Mr. On Top of Things?"

"Say...I try." Ben looked to Hattie with a silly grin. He got another spoonful of food and decided to do a pig. He moved the utensil up and down snorting. Hattie started to laugh and Sawyer turned to look. Her God-daughter was full on belly laughing. Ben snorted again and the little girl erupted in a fit of laughter. The Coastie started to laugh and turned to Sawyer. "That's awesome."

"Do it again." Sawyer nodded and waited to hear Hattie's laugh. How cute were babies laughing? Insanely precious, that's how. She heard Ben snort and Hattie laugh, and then Sawyer saw Ben move the spoon towards Hattie's mouth. "Wait, Ben...she might choke if she's laughing." Her eyes got wide as she shook her head. "Then we'd be in deep shi...spit. Deep spit." She tried to correct herself before she said the bad word.

"Deep spit?" Ben looked to Sawyer with a grin. "Nice save." The doorbell rang and Ben looked that way. "Pizza's here."

"I got it." Ben was busy with the baby so she could get the door. After paying for the pizza, Sawyer walked back to the kitchen and put a few pieces on a plate for the Coastie.

He heard the plate hit the table when Sawyer put it down and Ben looked up. "Thanks."

"I guess I'll give her a bath after this?"

Ben bit into his pizza and nodded, "How's that sound. You want a bath, Stink Monkey?"

Sawyer hung her head and laughed. "You and your nicknames..." She'd always liked the way he so casually pulled them off for certain people. Squirt was pretty cute for Hattie and Stink Monkey might even grow on the little one. Then there was always OJ, a favorite of Sawyer's.

Grinning at the baby, Ben nodded as he watched a blob of food dribbled out of Hattie's mouth and down her chin. "Yeah, she definitely needs a bath."

It didn't take long for Hattie to finish her dinner and then she and Sawyer were off to the bathtub. Charlotte and Graham's master bathroom had one of those big tubs, and since there were piles of toys lying on the floor of the tub, Sawyer knew to use that one.

Once the water was warm and everything was ready, Sawyer put Hattie in and smiled when the little girl reached out for the toy Diligence. The fifteen month old held it out to her aunt. "Boat."

"Yep. That's a boat, Hattie. Your Daddy and Ben work on that boat sometimes."

"Den." The little girl put the boat in the water and started moving it back and forth. It was taking on water and sinking faster than the Titanic, but Sawyer couldn't help but smile. It was sweet to hear Hattie say Ben's name in her broken toddler English.

Back in the kitchen, Ben cleaned up a little. He put away the food but kept out a piece of pizza in case Sawyer wanted it, then he wipped down the counter and high chair. After he was finished with that, Ben headed for the bathroom. "How's she doing?" He stuck his head in and saw Sawyer leaning on the edge of the tub.

"Good."

"Den!" Hattie splashed around and held out the boat.

"Is that for me?" Ben knelt down and smiled at the child as he took the toy boat from her.

While he was next to her, Sawyer smiled at the Coastie with thanks in her eyes. "I never got to thank you for the shelves."

Nodding, Ben shrugged, "Yeah, sure." He turned to Sawyer with a smirk, "They haven't fallen down, have they?"

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head.

"How's the thumb?" He looked down to her injured finger.

Sawyer held it out and showed off her battle wound. "Still disgusting."

He nodded and laughed. "Yeah, that is gross." Taking her hand in his, Ben studied the finger more intently. "I still don't think it'll fall off."

"Hope not."

Glancing back to Sawyer, Ben smiled. He held her hand out to the baby in the bath. "Kiss it better, Doc. Aunt Sawyer's got a boo-boo."

Sawyer started to smile and wondered how this guy was the same annoying person she'd gotten agitated with just a few days ago?

Hattie pressed her open mouth to Sawyer's bad thumb and flashed those massive brown eyes towards her aunt.

"Feel better, right?"

Sawyer did, but she wasn't sure if it was Hattie or if it was him. He was being sweet and kind, and even if they did have their moments of hostility, Sawyer couldn't help but wonder.

Ben looked to Hattie and then to Sawyer. "She might become the prune monster if she stays in much longer."

Agreeing, Sawyer got a towel and wrapped it around Hattie when Ben pulled her from the water. Sawyer got her dressed, but wasn't sure if the diaper was on perfectly. Hopefully it would hold for a while.

Walking out to the living room, Sawyer sat down on the couch and held the little girl close to her chest. Hattie's face was turned so Sawyer couldn't see her eyes. "Can you see her?"

Ben nodded and tuned to one of the music channels on the television. "She's fading fast." He stopped on one of them and smiled looking at Sawyer. "I think I found your channel."

"Ooh...keep it." She saw that it was an entire station dedicated to Elvis Costello and "She" was playing. It was a perfectly slow melody that would put Hattie to sleep in no time.

The sweet song played through the speakers but Hattie wasn't exactly falling asleep as quickly as they thought.

"Still not asleep?" Whispering, Sawyer looked to Ben.

"Nope." The song ended and he shook his head.

"I think I'm too flat-chested to be comfortable." Sawyer laughed a little and motioned for Ben to take the baby. He was much thicker across his chest. Hattie laying her head on Ben would knock her out instantly. Sawyer would know.

"Here." He reached for the little one and secured her in his arms.

Sawyer turned down the music and watched Hattie fight sleep. It wasn't going to take long at all. Ben was beyond cute with Hattie, and a part of Sawyer still wondered. She wondered about the what ifs and could have beens, but knew the past was the past. The blonde rested her hand on the pillow of the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. "Emmett asked me out."

Ben turned to Sawyer and nodded, "Did he? Good for him."

"Yeah..." Sawyer was waiting for Ben to say something else, waiting on him to say she should date him and not Emmett, but the Coastie's silence made things crystal clear.

There was an awkward hush that fell over the room after that. Three or four minutes passed and Hattie's loud breathing was the only thing between the two exes.

"Should I take her to her crib?" Ben looked to Sawyer wondering if it was safe to move Hattie. He didn't want her to wake up.

"I think so."

Slowly getting off the couch, Ben headed for the stairs and smiled at Trout's litter mate, Mack. "Come on, boy." They walked up stairs, and Sawyer could hear the hardwood squeak as his feet moved across the floor upstairs.

Ben opened up the door to Hattie's room and smiled. He and Graham had done a really good job painting it a while back.

Sawyer went to grab the baby monitor out of Charlotte and Graham's room and turned it on. She could hear someone moving around and then Ben's voice.

"Alright...I'm gonna leave now." Ben quietly walked backwards from the crib to the door. "Night."

Smiling, because she knew he was talking to Hattie, Sawyer walked to the living room with the cordless baby monitor.

Ben made it down the steps and gave Sawyer the okay sign. "That went well."

"It did. Nice job." Sawyer nodded and put down the monitor. She walked quietly into the kitchen and knew she might as well take advantage of Charlotte and Graham's kick ass wine selection. She poured two small glasses and handed one to Ben when she got back into the living room. "To us and our mad babysitting skills."

He laughed and took a sip. "We didn't do too bad, did we?"

"Better not hold our breath, though." Sawyer sipped her wine and then set it down on the table. She breathed deeply and then looked to Ben. "How much do you wanna bet Charlotte did this on purpose- asked us _both_ to babysit?"

"Everything I own." He started to smile and leaned back in the couch. "But it wasn't so bad. I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." Sawyer nodded and hunkered into her corner of the couch.

Ben picked up the remote and looked to her. "Wanna keep listening to this or watch something else?"

"What time is it? There's probably a game on, right?" It was only eight thirty.

He shook his head. "Off day."

She took a sip of her wine and shrugged. "I don't care...pick whatever you want."

A live version of "Black Coffee in Bed" Elvis Costello had played during one of his late 80s tours came on, and Ben turned it up. "I always liked this song."

Laughing to herself, Sawyer leaned back. "So did Nick."

Hearing Nick's name, Ben turned to Sawyer. "Whatever happened to him?"

"He's traveling. He does it a lot for work so...we probably won't see much of each other." She shook her head and took another sip of her wine. "I don't think we'll be friendly exes." Sawyer used her finger to pointed from herself to Ben, "...like we are."

He raised his glass to his lips and shrugged. "Not everyone can be."

"Are we even doing a good job, though?" Sawyer glanced at Ben and wasn't even sure. She'd have random spurts where she'd think they were great, but then other times where her heart was telling her a different story.

"I don't know." He smiled his adorable kid smile and shrugged. "Sometimes you make it impossible for me."

"Sorry." Sawyer laughed a little and put her glass down and scooted closer to him. "I'm not trying to."

"No, I know." He shook his head and looked into her eyes that looked like the color of the ocean.

The blonde leaned towards Ben and ran her eyes over his face. "You don't make it easy either, you know?" She wanted so badly to kiss him, but Sawyer wasn't making that move. If anyone started anything it was going to be him. She'd been the one to ruin things, so it was his decision pick up any pieces she'd shattered. Sawyer didn't think it was fair for her to royally screw things up the first time and then start something a second time that might only go to shit, too.

He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest and Ben started to gather up the courage to make a move. Just as he leaned closer the front door opened.

Sawyer and Ben both stood up when they saw Charlotte and Graham.

"Hi..." Charlotte smiled at her two friends and had no idea she'd just interrupted the moment she was hoping would happen. "How was she?"

"Good. Great." Sawyer nodded and glanced to the stairs. "She went down a little while ago."

"How was dinner?" Ben looked to his fellow Coastie and Charlotte.

"Nice...and quiet." Graham laughed and smiled at Charlotte.

Wanting to get out of the house, Sawyer quickly grabbed her bag. "I should get going- let you two have some more quiet time."

"No, stay if you want." Charlotte nodded to Sawyer.

"Actually...you know..." The blonde already started for the door. "I've got an early morning at work, but I'll call you tomorrow." She was out the door before they could say anything, and the evening July air was a welcomed friend as the summer breeze met her outside. Sawyer hopped in her car faster than she ever had and drove home without looking back.

Once she got home, Sawyer quickly changed into something to sleep in. She walked back to the kitchen for a glass of water and saw headlights illuminate her street. The twenty-nine year old didn't think much of it until she heard a knock on her door.

Walking toward the front of the house, Sawyer put down her glass and opened the wooden front door.

He didn't ask to come in, he didn't utter a word, Ben just kissed her. It wasn't like the sweet soft kiss she'd given him a month ago, this was a full on, make it or break it- swing for the fences kind of kiss. Sawyer could hardly breath but she could taste his lips and feel his hot breath on her skin.

Moving away, Sawyer looked to the blue-eyed Coastie she'd loved since that dumb race. "Ben..."

"Don't go out with him." Ben took a step closer and shook his head. He'd been awful about making his feelings clear, but he was doing it now. "Don't go out with that other guy. Go out with _me_."

There was a little bit of an arch in his brow and Sawyer pulled his shirt so he would be closer. Her mouth found his again. She'd forgotten how good he kissed.

Ben kissed her back and pressed his forehead into the side of Sawyer's head. "Is that a yes?"

Tugging on his collar, Sawyer nodded. "Yes."

He started to grin. "Good, cause we were terrible friends."

She kissed him one more time and then backed away before things got anymore heated. "Wait, wait..."

"What?"

"If we're gonna do this, then lets really do this...the right way." She didn't want to try to get back together and sleep together in the same night. Sawyer ran at a fast pace, but not _that_ fast.

"Okay...tomorrow. Eight o'clock at The George?"

"Sounds good." Sawyer nodded and started to push Ben out the door playfully. "I'll see you then."

"Don't be late." Ben grinned at Sawyer and she smiled right back.

"I won't." She shut the door and leaned against it with her back. Did that happen? Was Ben really outside her door? Had they just made out a few times like lovesick teenagers and then agreed to try again? Yes, yes, and yes.

That's exactly what they were doing. They'd obviously have a lot to talk about but that would come later. Right now they were taking that first step- that _giant_ leap.

That whole night Sawyer found herself fighting sleep. She'd been too preoccupied with her thoughts, but the next night rolled around just as soon as she knew it.

At eight o'clock sharp Sawyer went downtown and waited on him. She put on a new outfit, thought about popping in her cutlets but didn't, dabbed on a little make-up, and was sitting at a table waiting on her Coastie. He was _hers_ and always had been. Why she ever thought differently seemed dumb.

But then five minutes rolled around and then ten minutes. He wasn't the kind of guy to be late, so she tried to call him but it went straight to voicemail. Sawyer wasn't the worrying kind, but Ben wouldn't be late to something they'd been waiting to do for years.

Twenty minutes, thirty minutes, and Sawyer had almost finished the bottle of wine at the table.

Forty five minutes late, and Sawyer was getting angry. She dialed his number and took a deep breath. "Ben...you better be in a ditch bleeding out somewhere. Where the hell are you?" She hung up and then looked around. What if something had happened? What if he was hurt? She was going to rot in hell if he was actually in a ditch bleeding out. That would make her scum on the earth low, and Sawyer had plenty of low points in her life.

But this...not knowing where he was...it was killing her.

**OTHOTH**

**Uh-oh. Where's Ben? Is something wrong? Is he really in a ditch somewhere or just really late? What's the deal? Questions, questions... I know, I'm terrible, sorry. Next chapter we'll find out and J will be introduced. _And_, the number two isn't _too_ far off either. There's so much more to come. You guys ready for it?**

**My reviewers: Thanks a million times over for those inspiring little messages. You really have know idea what it means to get those!**

**JaneDoe: Thanks so much for the feedback! It's so awesome to know you've been reading since day one. I think a lot of people want Sawyer and Ben to be endgame, but clearly...there may be other plans. Next chapter we'll see what I mean by that.**

**Joan: Ha, loved the comment about Sawyer being your favorite fiction character. I'm happy you liked the Boston bit last chapter. I've been and loved it up there (thought about going toschool up there), so I'm glad you enjoyed that part. You know my writing well, lol. You're right. Nothing will come easy for Sawyer. Thanks for the review!**

**Please Review!**


	17. This is a Test

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 17: This is a Test**

**Disclaimer: Blah...**

**A/N: Hey, all. I'm back with an update! Yay! I'm sure most of you are wondering where the heck Ben was since I left last chapter with Sawyer and Ben's first date...that seemingly never got off the ground. I'll pick up with Sawyer at the restaurant, and you guys can read on from there. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

She'd been waiting forty-five minutes and Sawyer was fighting a mix of rage and worry. Where was he? Was he okay? Was Ben hurt? Who did she call next? If Sawyer called Charlotte or Graham, that would mean they would have to know about the date, and that meant Charlotte would want to talk about it for hours and hours. Sawyer didn't have hours. She wanted to know where Ben was _now_.

Catching the waiter's attention, the blonde, twenty-nine year old waved him over. Once he got to her table, Sawyer folded her hands together and looked to the empty seat across from here. "So...turns out my date is a no-show, so how much do I owe you for the wine?" She eyed the nearly empty bottle and then glanced back to the waiter. He told her the price and Sawyer huffed as she pulled out her wallet.

"You're more than welcome to stay and wait a little longer if you'd like."

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer placed the money in the guy's hand. "And end up buying another bottle, having to get a cab to take me home, and then fall asleep on the couch with a carton of ice-cream in my lap because my night wen't just so _amazingly_?" The music lover got up and shook her head. "I'll pass." Her sarcastic attitude was riddled with the anger and hurt she felt for being stood up.

The waiter clearly didn't realize this woman wasn't up for waiting around any longer. He watched her get up and couldn't help but feel bad for her. She was pretty. Beautiful, really. What kind of idiot would let her get away?

Digging through her purse to find her keys, Sawyer walked out into the July night and instantly felt the humidity on her skin. She felt a lighter amongst the junk that littered the bottom of her bag, and Sawyer would have loved to have a cigarette right now. A night like this called for a slow drag, but she didn't have one.

Keys in hand, Sawyer hurried over to her car and could only shake her head at the circumstances. "I knew this was a bad fucking idea." The blonde slid into her car and slammed the door shut as she cranked the engine. The old Karmann Ghia roared to life, and the tires spun as Sawyer punched the gas to get out of there.

She drove away and her faint red tail lights were all he could see. Ben watched her drive away in the rear view mirror, and he sat frozen in his car like he had been for the last fifty minutes. He'd gotten to the restaurant just before Sawyer had, but something had kept him from going inside. He'd been excited and eager to start over, but as soon as he saw her walk inside, his feet felt like cement and his heart started to run on nervous beats. She'd looked stunning- absolutely beautiful. But her beauty had been masked by his uncertainty about trying again with the girl who meant everything.

What if things didn't work? He'd asked her out but hadn't really thought it through. They had some rather messy history together. It hadn't been easy, and his heart had been trampled on the last time he was with Sawyer. Could he handle that again? What happened when they broke up again? Would they break up again? As Ben sat in his car for the forty-five minutes she'd been waiting on him, those were the kinds of questions that had plagued his mind.

Now as he watched her taillights disappear into the black of night, he knew he'd just messed up- big time. His phone had seven missed calls and he didn't even have the decency to call her back and tell her he was sitting outside the restaurant. Knowing Sawyer, Ben figured she was more than just pissed at him. He cranked his car and slowly pulled out of the restaurant and listened to the voicemails.

"_First unheard message... Ben, I've been here for fifteen minutes. What's the deal? We said eight, right? You better be on your way. I might have to eat without you."_

Her tone had been friendly and sarcastic. Sarcastic in a sense that she was playing along with his tardiness with no problem or hesitation. She may have been a little annoyed but not mad. Not yet.

"_Next unheard message... Really? Where are you? This isn't funny anymore. I'm halfway through the bottle of wine I ordered, and it would be nice if you at least showed up to help me finish it"._

Now she was mad. Mad _and_ worried. Ben could tell in her voice that she'd been getting antsy by then.

"_Last unheard message... "Ben...you better be in a ditch bleeding out somewhere. Where the hell are you?"_

Between her other missed calls, that was the last message she'd left. Ben could tell she'd been her most upset then. He tossed his phone in the passenger seat and knew the next time Sawyer saw him, she'd probably be the one to put him in a ditch somewhere.

He needed to talk to her, tell her what was going on and what was running through her mind. He desperately did. Driving towards her house, Ben tried to come up with something he could say that could make his not coming inside the restaurant not seem as cowardly and immature as it was.

When Ben pulled up along the curb in front of Sawyer's house, he didn't put it in park. She wasn't there. Her car wasn't in the driveway and clearly she'd had somewhere else she wanted to be instead of home after their failed date. Checking over his shoulder and pulling back onto the street, Ben drove towards the one place Sawyer would always find comfort and peace in: Tric.

Tree Hill was a small town so it didn't take him long to pull into the parking lot. He saw her car parked in her usual spot and Ben saw the lights on in the studio. He walked across the gravel parking lot and made his way up the stairs.

When she got there, Sawyer had grabbed a bottle of tequila from behind the bar, said a mini thank you and sorry to her grandmother under her breath for taking some merchandise, and settled in at her desk in the studio. She'd put on a record and was blaring the music so loud you'd never know a club was just behind the studio doors. Right now Sawyer was in her own place, her own mind, and hating the fact that Ben Trammell did such a number on her. She took a swig of tequila and closed her eyes. This night sucked.

Ben walked through the crowds of people who were visiting the bar and then walked over to the Red Bedroom Records door. It was shut but he opened it expecting a swirl of insults to come his way.

Sawyer heard footsteps and her face fell. "You have have some nerve."

"Sawyer, let me..."

"What, explain? How about no." Sawyer cut her eyes and stood up as he approached her desk. "Do you know that I waited for you for _forty-five_ minutes? Do you know that I sat at that damn restaurant waiting for you...only to have you _not_ show up!" Sawyer crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Now you come in here and want to explain...? I don't think so. You didn't even _call_ or even _text_!" Sawyer was on a roll. "I mean, Jesus...was this some type of punishment for cheating on you when we were together?"

"What? No." The Coastie shook his head. He'd forgiven her for that a long time ago. Sure, it still sucked to think about, but making her sit alone at dinner was not any kind of _punishment _at all. "I was there." Ben could tell that this was going to be an uphill fight with her. "I got there before you."

"And you just decided _not_ to go in?" Sawyer laughed and rolled her eyes.

Swallowing hard, Ben walked a few steps closer. "I saw you go in and I...froze. I couldn't make myself get out of the car."

How was the even possible? Sawyer arched her brows high. "Well what you do is you open the door, then you move your feet across the ground, and walk into the restaurant. What could you not do about that?"

"It wasn't that. I couldn't...I didn't know..." Ben was struggling to figure out how to say this. He took a deep breath and looked right to Sawyer. "When I asked you out, I just did it. I was running on adrenalin and I didn't think about what it meant or anything except being with you again." He kept his stare on the girl in front of him. "But when I saw you walk into the restaurant all I could think about was, what if it doesn't work, and then what happens next if it doesn't work. I just...I've been thinking about this for too long for it not to work." He looked like a sad puppy as he glanced her way.

Sawyer could see that he'd been genuinely fighting with these questions. She took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders. "Don't you think I'm worried about that, too?" The blonde turned down the music and walked a few steps closer to him with a furrowed brow, "I have a history of _royally_ screwing up everything. You know that. You were the one thing I wish I _didn't_ mess up. But look..." Sawyer took a deep breath. "I'm nervous about this too. We'd both be lying if we weren't. Maybe a date wasn't a good idea. Maybe we should start off differently? I don't know, but Ben...we can't not try." For being the most stubborn of them both, Sawyer was actually being pretty level-headed about it.

"I know." Ben knew Sawyer was right, and both of them knew there was still something between them. It was painfully obvious and hard to hide. "Can we just...talk or something." He eyed the couch.

Sawyer nodded. They had some unresolved issues they needed to work through before they started to actually date again. They'd never talked about the break-up and they'd never talked about their relationship. Sawyer and Ben had some things to discuss. She grabbed the bottle of tequila knowing they might need it and followed him to the couch. "And this just in case."

He glanced at the bottle and knew it might act as liquid courage. They sat down together and Ben ran his hands over his thighs with a deep breath. "Where do we start?"

Sawyer had a question they could start with. "Well..." She shifted her weight a little. "Why did you go to Texas?" That had been one of the hardest things to get passed after they broke up. Sawyer hated that he'd left in the blink of an eye.

Ben took a deep breath and shrugged. "Charlotte and Graham didn't need to move."

She knew that was his cover story. Sawyer shook her head, "Why did you _really_ leave?"

His eyes caught hers and he swallowed a lump in his throat. "Because of you." Ben hated to say that but it was the truth. When she'd come back from California and told him what happened, she'd hurt him more than he cared to remember "It was an out and I took it."

"I didn't want you to go." Sawyer sat back against the pillows and smiled, "Trout didn't want you to go."

Ben smiled and nodded thinking about their dog. Things between them had been so simple when they started dating. Then Sawyer went and screwed it up. Sleeping with Dillon had been the nail in the coffin. Ben was sure Sawyer was the one for him, he was absolutely positive. So when he found out she'd cheated on him, his world was thrown upside down, stomped on, and lit on fire. Everything he'd wanted and thought he'd get had been taken. He took a deep breath and found Sawyer's eyes again. "It took me a while to get over it. But I did. I moved on and got passed it."

"But you stayed in Texas. You didn't come back."

"I'd gotten comfortable down there. The guys were good to me and I liked the city. Drug patrol was actually pretty fun." He thought about Texas and then looked to Sawyer again. There were so many what ifs in there equation, but he couldn't help but think out loud. "Do you think if I came back, we' would have tried again then?"

"I think if we didn't, Charlotte would have put us back together." Sawyer laughed but then shook her head. "I don't know. Probably. But I bet I would have messed up again." She turned away from Ben and looked to the tequila. If things started to get a little uncomfortable, maybe she'd take another swig?

Why was she still holding on to the cheating thing? It had happened so long ago. "You still think that, don't you? That you'll do it again" Ben shook his head, "You're not a bad person, Sawyer. You made a mistake."

"Well... I'm not a _good_ person. I speed. I drink too much. I eat terribly. I cuss like a sailor. I'm too opinionated. I don't like criticism..."

Ben laughed with a smile. "Okay, so I take that back. You _are_ a terrible person."

He flashed her that boyish grin and Sawyer felt her heart sink a little. They were getting back to into old routines but her past was still haunting her. "What if... If we do this..." She looked to Ben and let her eyes fall on his and she lowered her voice. "I don't want to cheat on you again."

"What makes you think you will?"

She didn't know. "My track record isn't exactly perfect." The only guy she ever cheated on was Ben, but Sawyer had it in her head that since she'd done it once, she'd do it again.

"Between then and now did you ever cheat on one of the other guys?" He knew she hadn't.

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head. "No." It wasn't like she'd played boy bingo after she and Ben broke up. She'd really only been in two other relationships. "Ass-face, Reid deserved it though." He'd been the one to break up with Sawyer on her birthday.

"Then you won't. You have to stop thinking you've conditioned yourself to do it." He reached for a near bye piece of paper and grabbed a pen.

"What are you doing?" Sawyer furrowed her brow.

"Our rules." Ben scribbled those words on the top of the page and laughed. "If we make a list of things we can and cannot do, it might help." He jotted down the number one and then looked to Sawyer. "Number one, no cheating."

She thought his idea was a little juvenile, but then again this was Ben. He was always a big kid at heart. "Okay...number two, no lying."

He nodded and started to write it down. "Three... no leaving things on bad terms." Ben started to grin at the girl across the couch from him. "We'll argue a lot because that's how we are, but we should work it out. Whatever it is."

"Dinner ideas, what to watch on TV, the best way to put up a shelving unit..." Sawyer smiled and held out her still blued thumb, showing off her handy work from a few days ago. "We might argue too much to leave _everything_ on good terms." She looked over to the record collection and shook her head. "I'm never going to convince you that Elvis is the best musician."

"Okay." He nodded and added a second part to rule number three. "Parenthesis, certain exceptions granted."

"Four." Sawyer started to like the idea of a list. "No taking trips with a one song soundtrack."

Laughing out loud, Ben shook his head. "You mean we can't go see my dad and only listen to 'Walking in Memphis'?"

"I'd rather jump off a cliff." Sawyer shook her head and got up to walk over to her desk. She'd stashed a few snacky things in a filing cabinet and grabbed a bag of chips.

Ben watched Sawyer sit down with the food. "Five. Learn to share."

Holding out the bag for him to get some, Sawyer nodded, "Look, I follow directions well." She smiled and took the list and the pen from Ben as he munched on the chips. "Six. Constant communication." Sawyer wrote down the sixth rule and glanced at Ben. "This seems to be working so far, so why not include it?"

"Go for it." He crunched down on some chips and dusted off his hands while she wrote. "Seven..."

"How many of these do we need?" Sawyer looked at the list and wasn't sure how many they planned on writing down.

Ben shrugged, "I don't know. As many as we can think of. We can take them off or add to it later. It'll be a running list."

"So can seven be no snoring?"

"If eight is no nighttime karate."

Sawyer narrowed her eyes at Ben and laughed. "We'll have to compromise on that later."

For a while longer the two of them decided on some more rules. Some were dumb, and others were more serious. Some were meant for Sawyer and others for Ben. When both of them were yawning with each breath, it was clear they'd exhausted themselves out. Who knew talking about yourself and your relationship could be so grueling?

Both of them were confident in where things were going, though. They'd wiped their slate and seemed to be starting fresh this time. Maybe the date that never was ended up being a good thing? Because one thing was clear, after their lengthy conversation and list of this and that, Sawyer and Ben were headed down the road to reconciliation.

The next morning put things in motion. No more than fifteen minutes after Sawyer got to work Ben showed up at the studio.

Peyton looked up from her desk and arched her brow. "Ben? Hey."

"Morning, Peyton."

The older music lover wasn't sure what her daughter's former flame was doing in the studio but she pointed to the recording booth. "Sawyer's in there if you're looking for her." She knew he had to be there for her so she smiled. "Go on in. She's not busy."

Ben walked to towards the studio and clutched the coffee he had in his hands as he stood in the doorframe. Sawyer's back was to him and he knocked his knuckles against the door.

She turned and the happy surprise to see him made her smile. Ben Trammell did always look good in his uniform, utility blues. "Hey."

"Four sugars, and two things of cream." He held out the coffee with a grin.

She stood up and took her morning burst of caffeine from him. Sawyer remembered how he used do this when they were younger. "Thanks."

"Your welcome." Ben's gaze met with Sawyers and he took a step forward.

Peyton was trying hard to hear what her daughter and Ben were saying in the other room. She'd tiptoed closer to the door and was trying to be as covert as she could.

Sawyer started to squint and smirked. He was dangerously close to her. "The _last_ time you kissed me for the _first_ time you tripped."

Leaning towards her, Ben smiled, his lips rich with envy. "How do you know I'm gonna kiss you?"

"You're not." Sawyer moved to him. _She_ was gonna kiss Ben. And she did.

The sparks between them were undeniable. No matter the time, no matter what had transpired over that three and a half year period they'd been apart, Sawyer and Ben fell back into old habits. It only seemed natural that they would fall back in love.

**OTHOTH**

The rest of July sped into August. Ben left for a three week assignment on the Diligence for most of the month, and then September took over the calendar. Graham was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and turned out the McFarlands were adding on to their family. Charlotte had blabbed to Sawyer last week about baby number two, and with Keith turning twenty-seven, Sawyer was sure her brother and sister-in-law would catch Charlotte's baby-making bug soon. It really did seem like it was just a matter of time before Sawyer became a _biological_ aunt. Sooner or later Lucas and Peyton would be getting their own grand-kids.

And as for Sawyer and Ben? They were doing just fine; taking things nice and slow, they weren't over complicating anything and tried work together instead of butt heads. They still argued and fought over dumb stuff. Sawyer was still convinced her car was supreme to his, but they were doing well...for the most part.

Turning to her boyfriend of ten weeks, Sawyer held her nose and shook her head. They'd driven down to the very southern part of North Carolina to get dinner for that evening. The problem was that dinner was in the backseat of Ben's 4-Runner and it happened to smell a little funky.

Ben stopped at a stop sign three streets away from Sawyer's house and looked at the blonde's less than pleasant expression. He rolled his eyes playfully and shook his head. "Come on. It's not that bad."

Rolling down the passenger side window, Sawyer let the early October air circulate through the car.

The joy of being on the driver's side was great. That little button on the door that controlled all the windows was fantastic and Ben loved to take advantage. He clicked the one for Sawyer's window and watched her squirm as she watched it roll up and shut. They'd been playing window tag for the last thirty minutes.

"Really?"

Taking a deep breath with a grin, Ben nodded. "Take it in, O.J. That's our hard work that smells." He pulled up to the curb of Sawyer's house and laughed as he parked.

Sawyer hurried out of the car and headed for the front door. She had a bag in her hand from South Brunswick Oyster Company, and slung it over her shoulder while Ben carried the large white cooler from the backseat inside. She unlocked the door and they both walked in. The Coastie set the cooler down in the kitchen and when he turned around, Sawyer tossed him the souvenir she'd bought him while they were down at Holden Beach.

"Here."

Ben felt the tee-shirt smack him against his face and he peeled the navy shirt off his nose. He held it up and grinned. "Go shuck yourself." He nodded at Sawyer and laughed. "Hold up yours."

Pulling the smaller red shirt from the bag, the blonde held out her _Go shuck yourself_ tee-shirt. "How do I look?"

"Two peas and a pod, you and me."

His grin made Sawyer laugh. She folded up her tee-shirt and couldn't believe the day they'd had. She knew he'd planned on doing something different, but she never expected for their Saturday afternoon to be spent at an oyster reef. When he'd picked her up that morning, Sawyer thought paintball may have been in the picture, not oysters.

_Sawyer glanced out the window of Ben's 4-Runner and wondered where they were headed. Ben didn't say and he was being pretty quiet about it. Twenty minutes into their drive and Sawyer couldn't take the suspense any longer._

"_Really? Where are we going?"_

_Ben looked to the girl next to him and smirked. "You'll see."_

_Annoyed that he wouldn't tell her, it only took another twenty minutes until they got to their destination for Sawyer to figure out. Arching her brow like her mother did, Sawyer laughed. "What in the world...Ben?"_

"_I told you it was something new."_

_Reading the sign out loud as they pulled into a little parking lot, Sawyer laughed. "Opening Day. Harvest your oysters here through March." Turning to the blue-eyed Coastie next to her, the blonde kept that brow arched. "And what exactly does that mean?"_

"_Oh, I think you know." Ben turned off the car and looked out to the inlet just beyond the parking lot. "We're getting old school, Sawyer. We're catching our own dinner."_

_How in the world did you catch oysters? Was there some fancy fishing pole they were supposed to use? Sawyer wasn't sure and she knew this day would be one of the more interesting dates she'd ever been on._

_An old man came out of a tiny little shack and approached the couple. "You Ben?"_

"_Yes sir." Ben shook the guy's hand and looked to Sawyer. "And this is Sawyer."_

"_Nice to meet you both. Name's, Willard. Why don't I get you inside so you can suit up."_

_Walking behind the guy, Sawyer leaned into Ben and mouthed, "suit up" with a furrowed brow. What did that even mean?_

_The threesome walked into the little building and the older man pointed to the wall along the back side. "Over there you've got the waders. Sizes are printed on the hip. Pick the one you need. Slip 'em over your bottom half, clip 'em like overalls, and meet me out back."_

_Ben walked with Sawyer to the back and picked up a pair that looked like they would fit him._

_Sawyer pulled a pair of the rubbery pants off the wall and laughed. "We're gonna get wet, aren't we?"_

_Ben shrugged and clasped the buckles together. "Probably." He grinned and watched her pull on her pair. "I grabbed a change of clothes for both of us, though. They're in the car." He walked behind his girlfriend and saw that her straps were twisted. He fixed them for her and leaned down by her ear as she buckled them. "This is gonna be fun."_

_Turning around, Sawyer nodded. Ben and fun always went together. She didn't doubt they'd have a good time. She took a good look at Ben in his outfit and smiled. "I like the look."_

"_Maybe I can keep them?" He started to do some sort of dance very much like the one he did when he got a turkey in bowling. "I mean they're pretty comfortable." Ben leaned down and kissed Sawyer quickly before taking her hand and leading her outside. "Come on."_

_Willard had what looked to be a bunch of rakes in his hand and held the out for the duo. "Scrape up as many as you'd charge by the pound." The best spots are over in the left bank and just passed that tree over there. Water's no more than three feet in most places. Feel free to take as long as you'd like."_

_Sawyer eyed the water's edge. "So we just walk out there?"_

"_Yep." Willard handed Sawyer and Ben each a rake and he gave Ben a metal basket. "Scope 'em in there and that's about it."_

"_Thanks, Willard."_

_The older gentleman smiled, "Now if you two get stuck or need some help, just holler." He walked away and left Sawyer and Ben by themselves._

"_Here goes nothing." Ben headed for the water's edge and started to trape through the shallow water. Sawyer hustled to follow and they walked in ankle deep water until they found a small oyster reef. Ben walked a little deeper and reached under the water, pulling a handful of oysters to the surface. "Jackpot."_

_Sawyer simply rolled her eyes and walked closer to Ben. "You've done this before, haven't you?" She awkwardly found her footing and started to reach under the water to find some oysters. The blonde wasn't having any luck._

"_No." Laughing as he pulled up more, he shook his head. "Really...I swear." He tossed the oysters in the metal basket and moved over to Sawyer. "You're probably in a bad spot."_

_Not wanting to be showed up by Ben, Sawyer shook her head. "Hey now...this is my territory. Go back over there." Sawyer kicked her head to where he'd been and smirked. "I'll find some." Ben couldn't help but laugh at her competitive tone. He waded back over to his original spot and went back to searching for more oysters. Sawyer felt around but was only finding rocks and something that felt like seaweed. After a seven minute dry spell, Sawyer threw up her hands. She'd tried the rake, she'd tried her hands, she'd tried everything. "It's official. I suck at this."_

_Nodding his head over to her, Ben smiled. "Come over here." Sawyer slowly moved his way and rested her rake on her shoulder. She knelt down and started to run her fingers along the bottom. Ben watched her facial expressions and smirked when she started to smile. "Found them, didn't you?"_

"_Maybe?"_

_Opening his mouth a little, ben laughed. "Maybe?"_

"_Okay, yes." Sawyer rolled her eyes and pulled up two hand fulls of oysters. She could see the victory on his face. "You just happened to stumble on this. Don't get all high and mighty, Trammell."_

_Pulling up a huge arm full, Ben just shrugged his shoulders. Sawyer narrowed her eyes and couldn't help but splash water his way._

_The water hit his chest and Ben dropped the oysters he'd had. "So we're playing dirty?"_

_Sawyer was in it big time now. She should have just left it alone and she knew it. Now Ben was gonna retaliate and he was much bigger and stronger. This was not going to bode well for her. "Can we call a truce?" She laughed and slowly tried to break away from him._

"_How can it be a truce when I haven't done anything?" He reared back his arm and acted like he was gonna spray a wave of water in her direction. He didn't, and instead, he dipped his hand under the water and pulled up their basket. "Think this is enough?"_

_A feeling of relief washed over Sawyer when she saw he wasn't gonna splash her. She looked to the pretty full basket and nodded. "Probably." They weren't feeding an army or anything._

_Ben thought so too and he walked towards her with a grin. "I think you contributed about three of them."_

_Rolling her eyes, Sawyer pushed him gently when he walked next to her. "More like...seven."_

_He laughed out loud. "I think that's pushing it."_

"_Whatever." The music lover shook her head even if what Ben said was the truth. "Sorry I didn't live up to your oyster harvesting expectations."_

_Ben shrugged with a cute grin. "My next girlfriend will be better."_

"_Oh she will?"_

"_Probably." Ben poured on the charm and arched his brow. "And she'll be a good cook, and easy to impress."_

_Stopping, Sawyer turned to Ben and shrugged. "I guess you'll have to settle for mediocre then." Sawyer wasn't a good cook, she was hard to impress most of the time, and had a habit of picking fights._

_The Coastie nodded and leaned down to kiss her. "I guess so." Her lips were soft against his, and he started to smile. "But I'm thinking two, three years tops."_

"_That's fine. I'll end up with a musician anyway."_

"_Mmm-huh." Ben's lips buzzed against hers when he kissed her again, and he nodded thinking of his natural ability to play the guitar. "I bet you will."_

_Sawyer had a funny feeling she would end up with a guitar picker, and she had a funny feeling she knew who it would be. She was pretty sure she was standing right in front of him._

Trout bumped into Sawyer's leg, throwing her from the memory from earlier that afternoon. She eyed Ben by the stove and saw that he was laying their food out on a circular cookie sheet. The Tabasco sauce was nearby and the lemon was already sliced. Sawyer let Ben finish prepping the main course and opted to get them drinks.

Once everything was done, the two of them took seats at the kitchen table and took a crack at shucking their oysters open. Sawyer's first attempt was a failure of epic proportions. The oyster went flying out of her hands and Ben flinched to the side so it wouldn't hit him.

He flashed Sawyer one of his cute grins and smirked, "Careful, OJ. You might put an eye out."

"It slipped!" Sawyer laughed at herself and got up to pick up her flung food. This was going to be an interesting evening if Sawyer's food ended up on the floor instead of her mouth.

For the next half hour or so, the duo continued to shuck their oysters and talk a little about this and that. Both of them were convinced that Charlotte and Graham would be having another girl. They figured Graham would be the kind of guy who would get thrown into a household of all girls. Russ came up. He was doing well. Sawyer and Ben would see him soon. The three of them were headed to Atlanta in a week to see some post-season action at Turner Field. Turned out Sawyer did pretty well for Ben's thirtieth birthday present.

Once they were done, Ben offered to do the dishes, and Sawyer let Trout outside. She walked out on the back porch and watched their four and a half year old golden retriever trot around the yard. It didn't take long for Sawyer to hear the sliding glass door open.

Ben walked out to join her, two drinks in hand. "It cooler than I thought it was." Ben glanced up to the sky and could feel the early breath of fall starting to fall upon Tree Hill.

"Yeah." Sawyer took the drink and felt him step behind her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and Sawyer could feel his breath through her shirt. She leaned backwards and into his chest. "I have to hand it to you. Today wasn't half bad."

He grinned and nodded against her shoulder. "I'm glad you had fun." Ben's right hand slipped from behind Sawyer's back and wrapped around her stomach just above her left hip.

Sawyer's skin felt like it was on fire. And rightfully so. To be blunt about it, they hadn't had sex since they'd gotten back together, and both of them knew it was happening tonight. Between him being gone for patrol, and them taking it slow, these last ten weeks had been more about building everything up again before adding anything else. Now that their foundations were set, Sawyer and Ben were ready for this.

Almost.

Feeling the heat between them both, Sawyer moved away, turning to face the guy she fell in the love with the day of the Diligence Dash over five years ago. She could see the desire behind his blue eyes and Sawyer swallowed hard. She kissed his cheek and let her mouth linger by his. "Give me a minute."

Ben felt Sawyer walk away and he heard the door open and close as she went inside. He took a deep breath and swirled his drink around the ice cubes. A smile started to spread across his face and he knew they were doing the right thing. This felt right, him and her. This felt like it should.

Inside, Sawyer made her way to her bedroom and was fighting nerves and butterflies. She could have sworn she was more nervous about this night than the night she'd lost her virginity. What if Ben remembered her differently? What if gravity had already moved things around? Granted, she didn't have a _whole lot_ to move up top, but still. There was a lot of pressure associated with getting back in bed with Ben Trammell.

Sawyer made it to her bathroom and took a long hard look in the mirror. "Get a hold of yourself, Sawyer, Jesus." She downed her drink and cleared her throat as the alcohol plummeted into her stomach. She smelled her armpits and quickly hurried to put a little more deodorant on, checked her teeth, her hair, and her boobs. Was on of them bigger than the other? Glancing at herself in the mirror, Sawyer had to shake off her nerves. This was something she'd done before- something they'd done before. She didn't need to get so worked up over it. Eying an small bottle of body spray, Sawyer absentmindedly sprayed the mist around her and took a few deep breaths. "Holy shit..."

Ben called for Trout to come inside and the Coastie set his empty glass in the sink. He slowly walked down the hall to Sawyer's bedroom and stopped in the doorway. The room was dark but the pale yellow sliver of light coming from under the bathroom door caught his attention. She must have been in there.

Adjusting her boobs, Sawyer took a few more motivational breaths and then turned to the door with closed eyes. "You can do this." She opened the door and saw Ben standing in the doorway. Her stomach jumped into her throat and they both slowly took steps towards one another.

Ben suddenly felt a wave of nerves run over him. Alone in the darkness, they'd done this before, but something about the _second_ first time had Ben nervous. Both of them were nervous

As their feet inched closer and closer, Sawyer felt her heart beat faster and faster. Did she take off her shirt first, or did he? Was she supposed to take off his clothes? What order were they going in?

Ben was as close as he could get and he could see the goosebumps on her arms. The moonlight shining in from the windows lit their skin. At least he knew she was feeling the same thing. The Tennessean brushed his thumb across her right eyebrow slowly. "I'm nervous, too."

For someone to admit that right before you slept together didn't normally speak highly of their confidence or performance, but for Ben to say that, and for him to touch her eyebrow like he used to when they were younger, meant everything. Sawyer slowly lifted her arms and felt his hands by the hem of her shirt. He lifted the fabric over her head and leaned into Sawyer to kiss her. Ben pressed his body into hers and felt her warm hands start to push his shirt over his chest.

Sawyer watched Ben drop his shirt by their feet and her eyes found his. There was a silent moment between them and she wrapped her hands around his waist. "Do you love me?"

Ben kissed her and guided Sawyer over to the bed. When her back hit the mattress, he hovered over her for a second. Ben leaned down to kiss her once more and looked into her eyes. "I'll always love you."

Smirking, Sawyer started to shimmy out of her pants. "Good answer." She pulled on the back of his neck and kissed him softly. "I love you, too."

Neither of them ever stopped loving each other. Wasn't that obvious? Sawyer and Ben, together or not together, would always love each other. It was just one of those things that would go untouched by time or place.

**OTHOTH**

The mid November sun was shining through the house, and Sawyer was up and at-em. Getting up early for once in her life, Sawyer was already dressed and ready, and it was just a little after eight o'clock. Without much to do around the house and since she didn't normally roll into the office until after ten, the blonde, music lover figured she could take a detour on her way to work. A few weeks ago Sawyer's aunt Haley had been diagnosed with some kind of tumor in her throat, and Charlotte was taking the news pretty hard. Pregnant and emotional with the news that her mom might have cancer, Sawyer's twenty-eight year old cousin was dealing with a lot.

Hoping in the car, Sawyer backed out of the driveway and headed towards the McFarland house. Graham was already off at the base, but Charlotte's car was in the driveway. Sawyer made her way to the front door and didn't bother with knocking. She walked in and could hear Hattie's cartoons on and the kitchen sink running.

Little feet danced along the hardwood and Sawyer saw a mini brunette running her way. "Hey kiddo." Sawyer scooped up Hattie and smiled. "Where's your mom?"

"In here." Charlotte was putting up the morning dishes.

Sawyer walked into the kitchen and stared at Charlotte five month belly. "Hat, is it me, or does your mom look like she's put on a few pounds?"

Charlotte wiped her hands on the dish towel and laughed. "Don't you just have the nicest way of saying it?"

The blonde twenty-nine year old put down the nineteen month old and walked closer to her best friend and cousin. "How are you doing?"

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte raised her shoulders. "She's having surgery in two week so..."

"You know it's gonna end up being fine." Sawyer smiled with a little bit of a laugh. "I mean it's your mom...Haley James Scott. Nothing can touch that."

"Cancer can." Charlotte turned away and aimlessly wiped off the counter.

"Not if your dad can help it." Sawyer tried to throw in something to lighten the situation. "He's never gonna let that happen."

"But he can't protect her from this."

Sawyer nodded. "Sure he can. Haven't you seen them together? Your mom's pretty brave around him, she said it herself."

Clutching the counter, Charlotte turned back around. "But what if he can't?"

"Then fuck cancer." Sawyer winced when she remembered little ears were around.

Sawyer's attitude got a smile from the soon-to-be mother of two. Her mind drifted from her mom ad to Sawyer and that cute Coastie she was dating. "Well tell me what's going on with you and Ben?"

Smirking, Sawyer shrugged her shoulders. "Same old, same old. I think I'm gonna go over there and eat at his place tonight. Pizza or something, probably."

Charlotte picked up Hattie and secured the little girl on her hip. "Why don't you two just move in together? You're always going back and forth between places."

Wide-eyed like Peyton got, Sawyer shook her head. "Whoa, whoa. Slow down, Char. This isn't a race to the alter...which by the way, we know I'm _never_ doing. Ben and I are just...you know..."

"I"m not saying _marry_ the guy, but wouldn't it make sense to move in together?"

No. Sawyer liked her independence. She liked not worrying about hiding tampon boxes and singing in the shower to terrible eighties ballads. "No."

Charlotte didn't see the point in going any further with her suggestion, Sawyer was only going to shoot her down. "Alright. Okay. Never mind then."

Eyeing her precious God-daughter, Sawyer reached out for Hattie. "But you can move in. You're pretty easy to please." Smiling, the blonde laughed, "And then once you become a teenager and are moody and mean, I'll send you back to your mom and dad."

Laughing out loud, Charlotte shook her head. "You're not gonna be mean, are you Hat?"

Sawyer knew how much of a gem she was in high school and could already see the Mad-Hatter following in her aunt's footsteps. "We'll see..." Sawyer passed back Hattie with a smile. Turning away from the mini brunette and the older one, the music lover headed for the door. "I'll come by later. I'm off to work."

"Bye." Charlotte watched Sawyer leave and thought about her suggestion about Ben moving in. Maybe not now, but maybe Sawyer and Ben would move in together someday. It seemed like the next step for her two friends.

Tossing her hand up, Sawyer said her goodbyes and then skipped down the steps towards her car. She was headed to work and ready to take on whatever music task that came her way. Most days were more of the same. She'd become a pro at the business side of things. Sawyer could talk her way out of anything, and she could talk her way into anything. What she hadn't done so much of was the actual management side of things. Her mom had taken most of that, but today that was going to change.

When Sawyer got to Tric, her mom had been out by the stage and pointed to the studio. "We've got a new client who's looking to sign. I told him you would be the one to talk to."

"Me?" The blonde walked closer to her mom and arched her brow. "Have you heard him? Is he good enough to sign?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Peyton glanced at her oldest. "I figured you could decide. I think it's about time you got your first solo project."

"Wait...he's _mine_?"

"Yeah, if you want it and if you like him."

Sawyer didn't care what he sounded like, she was just excited she might be taking in a new artist on her own. She walked to the studio waiting to see what this mystery guy looked and sounded like. She heard the piano and was instantly excited about this new talent.

"I've just seen a face I can't forget the time or place..." The slow piano chords rang through the room as the guy changed the tempo to the familiar Beatles tune.

Walking towards this new, potential client, Sawyer approached the piano with a smile. This kid was good. She walked next to him and could tell he was lost in a daze of black and white keys- too preoccupied to notice she was watching. Sawyer cleared her throat with an arched brow. "You always play instruments that aren't yours?"

The twenty-one year old stopped playing and looked up to a girl he'd seen before. He smiled and shook his head. "Only sometimes."

Sawyer could already tell he had the attitude of a musician. She smiled and looked at the guys face, realizing she'd seen him before. "Have we met? Sawyer Scott" The blonde held out her hand.

The college kid nodded and shook her hand. "When I was seventeen you told me to comeback and see you."

Recognizing his face and the story, Sawyer walked over to the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a sticky note. "Joel..." She looked to him and saw him nod. "You played an open mic on Halloween."

"I did." He slid his fingers down the black and white keys with a nod.

"You were dressed up like Frankenstein. I remember." Sawyer clutched onto the piece of paper, and walked back over to him.. "So what's your story, Joel? Why are you here?"

Looking at the keys in front of him, he could feel a rhythm inside of his veins. "Because I thought I'd give this a shot."

Appreciating his short but clear answer, Sawyer nodded, "Alright. Show me what you got. Play me your best five songs."

"On the piano?"

"On anything."

Joel eyed the guitar case he'd brought and moved off the piano bench to grab hit. He tuned the strings to and started to strum a simple pattern. "Cocaine flame in my bloodstream. Sold my coat when I hit Spokane. Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes in the early morning rain..."

So the kid could sing the Beatles and he could do a little Ray Lamontagne. What else could he do? Sawyer listened to Joel strum to a Trent Dabbs song and then watched him walked over to his guitar case again. He pulled out a contraption that went around his neck and fastened the small, silver rectangle to the front. Sawyer started to smile when Joel blew against the harmonica. It wasn't everyday you found someone with so many talents. He didn't even need to play anything else. Sawyer wanted him on the label and she wanted him bad.

"Sleepless nights and endless days, and all I do is promise to change my ways..."

Sawyer stopped Joel as he started to sing his next song. "So let me ask you a question, Joel." She looked at him and put on a squint she'd inherited from her father. "Do you write your own music?"

Joel reached for a spiral notebook and held it out with a smile. "I kinda got bored in class." College had been great, but it wasn't for him. He got lost in lyrics and melodies. Professors and finals weren't really his thing. He handed Sawyer the notebook and let her look over it.

Impressed by the work she skimmed over, Sawyer walked back over to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "Alright, kid. You have me interested." Writing in the first few lines of the contract, Sawyer slid it towards the musician. "If we do this, you'll be my first case on my own, and we're gonna go fast and furious. You've got the talent and you're gonna be big."

Smiling, because he never thought he'd actually get a deal, Joel swallowed hard and looked at the document in front of him. "Where do I sign?"

"On the dotted line." Sawyer smirked with a laugh and watched him put pen to paper. She took the contract back, read over it, and held out her hand. "Kinda did this backwards, but... Welcome to Red Bedroom Records, Joel Garrison."

Shaking Sawyer's hand, the young guy smiled. "Thanks." He looked around the studio, "What do we do first?"

"First you're buying me an early lunch. We need to get on a personal level. I need to know who you are and what makes you tick, what makes you write, and anything that influences your music. We're gonna be working a lot together, and open and constant communication is key."

"Do I get to ask questions about you?" Joel didn't know if this was a two player game.

"We'll see." Sawyer smirked and grabbed her purse. "Right now this is about you. We can get to me later."

Joel put down his guitar and followed Sawyer to the door where they then opted to head downtown. Sawyer asked a lot of questions and wanted to learn everything she could about this new artist- _her_ artist. This was her baby. Joel was going to be her project that could make or break her music career. Her mom was giving her full rein on this, and if Sawyer messed it up, she might not get another chance.

At the restaurant, hours ticked by and Joel started to share his story with his new producer. She got a good idea about who he was as a person and who he was a musician. He was influenced by a mixture of folks- from Bruce Springsteen to Iron and Wine to Sheryl Crow. Most of them were people passed his age group, but that was the interesting thing. He wasn't the typical guitar crooner. He had good taste and a voice to match. He wasn't trying to be anyone, instead, he wanted to be someone on his own. Sawyer respected and admired that.

As the day lingered on, Sawyer only had good feelings about their future endeavors. Maybe Joel wouldn't be an instant success, and maybe he wouldn't become famous, but they'd work together to get his music in the right hands. Sawyer could at least do that. The other perks that happened to fall on them as they worked were simply bonus.

Most of the rest of the day sped by while Sawyer and Joel continued to work on setting up a good foundation. They'd ended up back at the studio and Sawyer gave Joel a little tour of the studio he'd be calling home. They'd wrapped things up with one last hand shake, words of excitement and encouragement, and a 'see you tomorrow'.

On her drive home, Sawyer was already starting to think of the things she would get to do with Joel- what tracks they could make and the best way to produce a record. Instead of heading home, she turned towards Ben's apartment and found herself at his door before she knew it. Ben let her in when he heard her knock.

"Guess what?" Sawyer walked by her boyfriend of four months and took a deep breath as she got inside his place.

"What?" Ben didn't know so that was the only answer he could think of.

"I signed my first artist. My very _own_ client."

Grinning, Ben walked close to Sawyer. "That's great."

"Mmm-huh, and _he's_ great."

"Oh yeah?" Ben was intrigued and sure that Sawyer could work her music magic on the guy. "What's he sound like?"

"I little bit of everything." Sawyer was starting to talk fast which was something she did when she got excited. "And he plays like every instrument. He pulled out his harmonica and I was hooked. I mean's he's great."

"What's his name?"

"Joel. Joel Garrison." Sawyer started to laugh. "A few years back he actually played one of our Halloween open mic nights and I told him to come see me again later."

"And he did..."

Sawyer nodded. "He did."

Ben put his hands around Sawyer's waist. "Maybe he'll be your first _big_ success?"

"Maybe?" She let his words register in her mind and then she let out a laugh.

"What?" The Coastie looked at her with a raised brow.

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer shook her head. "It's just... When I... You're gonna think I'm crazy." She laughed at herself and shrugged her shoulders. "Last year I had my palm read and the lady told me three things. One, there was a storm headed my way- a big one. Two, someone whose name started with J would bring me success and happiness. And three, the number two is important." Sawyer looked to Ben's blue eyes and smiled. "We both know I dealt with one hell of storm." Sawyer had the scar to prove it. "And I'm starting to think Joel might be this J character."

"And what about the number two?"

That was one Sawyer had yet to figure out. "I don't know."

Ben thought of some things and pulled her closer. "We could always get puppy and have _two_ dogs."

Smiling with a shake of her head, the blonde replied, "One's just fine." Sawyer loved Trout but she didn't think they needed another animal.

"Or what if..." Ben tried to think of something else and then the obvious came to him. "What if two is important because this is our _second_ shot at this? That might count?"

She'd never thought about that, and that was certainly a possibility. She kissed him and nodded. "I like that idea."

Ben's hypothesis about the number two was a good one. Trying out a relationship between the two of them for a _second_ time could have been what that crazy Creole lady was referring to. So for now that's what they would think. For now that would work just fine. But 'for now' didn't necessarily mean the truth. Sawyer would have to wait and see.

**OTHOTH**

**Sawyer and Ben are back together! Yay. I think most of y'all are happy about that. Looks like Sawyer's riddle is slowly getting solved. I think it's easy to assume that Joel is and will be J. How will that affect things? Will it mess anything up with Sawyer and Ben? Maybe. All I'll say is next chapter fists will fly. Whose, why, and over what? I'll leave you to guess in a review. Also, what do you think about this number two business? Is Sawyer and Ben's second try at a relationship what the New Orleans palm reader was referring too?**

**My reviewers: You. Guys. Rock.**

**Amanda: Sorry about the cliffhanger. At least it didn't end in total disaster. I'm glad you liked the previous chapter and Sawyer and Ben's bickering. They'll get back to that soon. And thanks for that last little bit of your review. It was very encouraging!**

**Ramsay: Thanks for the review! This chapter we got to see Sawyer and Ben together, but we'll see how long and if it lasts.**

**Joan: Yep, you're right. Davis' new girlfriend is a keeper. We found out in a previous Charlotte chapter that Amelia ends up being the one for him. I'll reference him more soon. Ha, yeah, I don't blame you for wondering if Sawyer will ever get her happy ending. We'll see her find it, but who it's with and what she ends up doing may be a surprise...or maybe not. We'll see.**

**Lucy: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Sorry for the wait in updating. Life get's crazy, and since I've started my internship it's gotten even more hectic. I try to write as much as I can though.**

**Review Please!**


	18. Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 18: Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer Scott is not my character. None of the OTH faces are. The end.**

**AN: Hey all. Hope your weekend is going well. This chapter of Sawyer's will span approximately _18 months_. The first section starts in March, the second in December, and the third jumps _all the way_ to September of the following year (and it DIRECTLY correlates with Charlotte's last chapter). It's got the good times, bad times, and lots drama in between. This is Sawyer we're talking about. So find a comfy chair, put on some music, and read on to see who's coming to blows in this chapter. Enjoy**

**OTHOTH**

The wind through her hair, the music in her ears, and the feel of that old steering wheel in her grasp were old habits for Sawyer. Some things would never change. She'd had that car for fourteen years now. The convertible Karmann Ghia had a mind of her own though. Her age made her conk out from time to time, and her engine coughed before it roared to life, and while she still had miles to give, the fiery, sea blue spitfire was starting to pipe down. In many ways, the Volkswagen reflected the very personality of its owner.

Kinda.

Now beginning a new chapter in her life, Sawyer found herself less irritated by dumb people, less pissed off at people who didn't use their blinkers, and more responsive to those around her. Apparently turning thirty was very much breaking through that wall of insecurity, immaturity, and selfishness nose first. Her twenties had been a crash course of hits and misses. Now that she was the big three-oh, that seemed like it was all in the past. The blonde music lover didn't really feel different today, though. Had she really changed _that_ much?

Maybe a little.

Maybe it wasn't so much the age that had helped her find her way. Maybe it was something else? More importantly, maybe it was _someone_ else.

Sawyer and Ben had been going strong for about eight months now. Their re-do relationship was the best thing that had happened to Sawyer since the first time Ben came into her life. She needed someone like him.

He'd been really sweet earlier that morning.

_Spring thunderstorms painted Tree Hill with a soft shade of gray, and the slight pitter-patter of rain against the window had stirred Sawyer from her sleep. Instinctively she reached out to the other side of the bed but didn't fell him near. It wasn't often that they didn't fall asleep in the same bed these days. Unless he was away on a Diligence patrol, Sawyer and Ben, without fail, spent their nights together at his place or hers._

_Sawyer slowly got up and thought she smelled something coming from the kitchen. Surprised, the birthday-girl didn't see her boyfriend standing by the stove whipping up breakfast like she thought, though. The eggs were already cracked in the skillet and the package of bacon was on the counter, but Ben was a no-show. Clearly he'd intended to start breakfast but her Coastie was MIA. That was until she heard something coming from the living room of her quant little home._

_Walking to the couch, Sawyer saw his feet first and then heard Ben's deep breaths. They matched those of the sweet snores coming from Trout who was splayed out on the hardwood next to the coffee table. Ben was laying on his back with one his his arms behind his head, he had on his utility blues since he was supposed to head to work in half an hour, and he looked just as content as ever._

_Sawyer went back to the kitchen to start the food, and then she slowly and quietly sat down on the coffee table next to Ben. The thirty year old saw that he had a glass of orange juice sitting on the table and she reached for it. Sawyer took a sip and knew he must have just fallen asleep a minute or two ago because the drink was still cold. The blonde leaned close to Ben and peppered a few soft kisses on his lips and on the corner of his mouth. "Morning."_

_Opening one eye, Ben saw the woman he wanted to marry someday and he smiled. "Hey." He quickly looked at his watch when he realized he'd fallen asleep. "Ugh...the food." He started to get up but Sawyer shook her head._

"_I started it."_

_In the sitting position, Ben wiped his eyes with a laugh. "How long was I asleep?"_

"_Not long." Sawyer looked to the orange juice and shrugged. "Your juice is still cold."_

_He picked it up and smiled. "I was bringing that to you actually." _

"_Mmm...well, your plan went kaput as soon as you laid down." Sawyer grinned with an arched brow and looked straight into those blue eyes of Ben's._

_The Tennessean took a deep breath and scooted up to the edge of the couch placing his hands on the outside of her thighs. "Next time I'll re-think my approach." He had that boyish grin plastered on his face._

_A heated blush crept up Sawyer's neck and landed on her cheeks. "I'd say avoid the couch at all costs."_

_Leaning in to kiss her, Ben nodded. "Thanks for the tip, O.J." He found her lips and could taste the lingering bit of orange juice. "Happy Birthday."_

The simple mornings like that got Sawyer every time. The fact that Ben could fall asleep while cooking breakfast and her not going off on him about it was really something. Maybe it wasn't much of anything? But it had to mean something, right? Two people who were so comfortable around each other and found themselves better together than better apart was a relationship headed for greatness, right? No matter the trivial arguments or petty fights, it was the little things, the little moments that kept Sawyer and Ben together.

Walking up the stairs of Tric's iron staircase, Sawyer pushed the door open and saw a swarm of familiar faces around the downtown staple. Even though it was her birthday, Sawyer was still working. Her mom had given her the day and night off, but Sawyer couldn't pull herself from the music.

Walking up to the bar, Sawyer eyed Neil as he poured a glass of wine.

With his arm extended, Tric's bartender handed Sawyer the drink. "It's on me tonight. Happy birthday, Sawyer."

Raising her glass, Sawyer smiled. "Have you seen..."

Nodding, Neil tossed his white rag over his shoulder and pointed to the studio. "They're back there."

Wine in hand, Sawyer walked back toward the studio to meet with the band who was opening up for Joel tonight. His career was on fire. His first album was dropping next month but some of the best music critiques were already putting his stuff on 'what to listen for' lists and 'artists you should know' columns. It was an exciting time for Red Bedroom Records. Sawyer and Joel weren't making music to become commercially successful, but if that was one of the perks about working together, then that was just fine. Extra money meant upgrades for the studio and name recognition. Turns out Red Bedroom Records was the little engine that could.

But now Sawyer needed to meet with the opening act. Joel was slated to play by himself, but when Vagabond Gentry's manager called Tric looking for a venue to play in Tree Hill, Sawyer wasn't going to say no. She'd heard a few songs of theirs and the guys were decent- reminiscent of the Pilot Philips Project.

When Sawyer walked through the studio doors, she slowed her pace as she realized the two guys jamming on the guitars weren't the opening act. They weren't the opening act at all.

Ben's back was to Sawyer, but he was sliding his hands up and down the neck of his old guitar playing a few bar chords while Joel took over the lead and tapped his foot with the beat. They did this pretty frequently, Joel and Ben. Ben loved to play around with his six string and Joel didn't mind the company. Ben was actually pretty good.

"How 'bout this one?" Joel strummed a song from the past and closed his eyes as he started to sing. "Way back on the radio dial, fire got lit inside a bright-eyed child. Every note just wrapped around his sou from steal guitar to Memphis all the way to rock 'n roll..."

Ben knew this one well. He hit his hand against the wooden body of his guitar to keep the beat and was nodding his head as he and his buddy played the tune.

Sawyer loved it when she found them like this. It was one thing to hear Joel sing as good as he always did, but it was another to hear Ben.

Joel caught Sawyer's eye and he smiled with a nod as he looked to Ben who was concentrating on playing. Joel slid his hand up the neck of his guitar to strum the chorus chords. "Whoa...oh. I can hear them playing. I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar. Whoa...oh, I can hear them saying keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart." Joel and Ben were smiling at each other, liking what they were hearing. "Take the next verse, Man." Joel nodded at Ben knowing Sawyer was listening.

Transitioning chords, Ben nodded. "Downtown, where I used to wander. Old enough to get there but too young to get inside. I would, stand out on the sidewalk, listen to the music playing every Friday night."

Sawyer nearly melted when she heard Ben take the second verse.

Joel joined in with Ben and they both sang the chorus. "Whoa oh... I can hear them playing. I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar. Whoa-oh I can hear them saying, keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart."

Sipping on her glass of wine, Sawyer walked closer to the guys and saw Ben turn around.

Joel slipped his guitar off his shoulder and set it down on the stand. "Twenty years and y'alls kids will be opening for me, Sawyer." Joel started to smile and looked to his boss' boyfriend, "I keep telling him if he ever wants to come out on the road with me, he can play rhythm and sing back-up."

Shaking off the younger guy, Ben took off his guitar and stood up with a laugh. "Nah..."

"You mean our imaginary kids?" Sawyer widened her eyes and took sip of her wine.

Looking to Sawyer as she'd said that, Ben swallowed hard. Thirty may have given Sawyer another new lease on life, but somethings, unfortunately, were never going to change with her. Ben looked to Joel with a shrug. "If I didn't love what I do, I might consider it." Ben never considered a career in music; A, he knew he wasn't good enough, and B, if he ever had to be gone for an extended amount of time, Ben would rather leave on the Diligence than bounce from city to city in a tour bus that smelled of Doritos and BO.

Joel started to walk out of the studio,"I'm gonna go see if I can get a hold of those Vagabond Gentry guys." The twenty-two year old headed for the bar but turned around, "And Happy Birthday, Sawyer."

Smiling with a roll of her eyes, the blonde laughed. "Thanks." Joel had already said it this morning when she got to work, so the reminder that she was finished with her twenties made her reply with sarcasm. Sawyer walked over to her desk and noticed how quietly Ben was putting away the guitar he'd been strumming. She furrowed her brow and turned toward him. "Hey...?"

Looking her way, Ben raised both of his brows. "Huh?"

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Sawyer could tell something was bothering him. "I know you don't like me sneaking up on you two when you're playing but..."

"It's not that..." He looked away with a shrug. "Don't worry about it. We don't have to talk about it now." He knew that what he was referring to would make her upset and it was her _birthday_. They didn't have to talk about tonight. "I'll see you out there..." He started to walk away, but Sawyer wasn't letting him leave.

"Ben, wait... What is it?" Sawyer didn't like not knowing what was going on in that head of his, and whatever it was, they'd talk about it sooner or later.

He turned around and took a deep breath swallowing hard. "I just..."

Sawyer could see it all over his face. She knew exactly what it was now and she walked closer to Ben. "It was my kid comment, wasn't it?" Ben wanted kids. Sawyer knew that. With Charlotte and Graham about to have their second, babies were just about on everyone's mind.

He nodded but quickly started talking, "But I know you don't so..." Ben looked at Sawyer and shook his head, "We really don't have to talk about this now."

"But we have to at _some_ point."

"I know what you're gonna say, Sawyer, and that's fine. I know you don't want kids. I'm the one who has to figure out how to accept that. It's on me." He tone was starting to get defensive and Sawyer was feeling the same way.

"That's not fair." Sawyer furrowed her brow deeper into her forehead. "Don't make _me_ the bad guy." The blue-eyed Coastie started to walk away, but Sawyer called after him. "Ben... Ben come back." The thirty-one year old tossed up his hand telling her he didn't want to discuss it anymore. Sawyer watched him leave the office and she sighed out of frustration. Her idea of babies and never having any was something she had decided a long time ago. Sure, maybe things could change, but not now. Not _right_ now. How did she tell him to wait on something that might never happen?

Ben wandered over to the bar and hit Neil up for a stiff drink. He took a seat on one of the stools and chatted with the bartender until someone came up behind him.

"Hey man..can I get a round for the band. We just pulled in and could use a little pick-me up."

Nodding, Neil nodded, "Vagabond Gentry?"

"Yeah, sorry we're late. Traffic sucked when we hit Raleigh." The dark haired guy laughed and scratched his scruff around his chin.

Neil started to get drinks for the band ready, "You might want to check in with Sawyer if you haven't yet. She's the one who runs the place."

"Yeah, yeah. I was headed that way."

"She's hard to deal with sometimes..." Ben hadn't meant to say that out loud but he was still running on emotions stemming from their kid conversation.

Patting the guy on the back who looked like he'd had a bad day, Dillon smiled. "Oh I know."

The Berklee educated musician walked away from the bar and Ben turn around with a furrowed brow. "Did he..." Ben suddenly felt adrenalin rush through his veins. Was that who he thought it was? The Coastie got off his stool and watched the guy walk to the studio.

"Ben, hey." Keith walked through the crowd at Tric and saw his sister's boyfriend.

Bridget was just behind her husband and held out a cake box. "I know she's picky about food but... I made a cake." The chef smiled and looked down at her sugary masterpiece.

"Hey, guys..." Ben wished he hadn't been stopped by the two of them but smiled politely and took the cake box. "Why don't y'all head to the bar and I'll tell Sawyer you're here."

As Keith and Bridget were talking with Ben, Dillon walked into the studio and saw the girl he dated over ten years ago. "Place looks good."

That voice of his made every one of Sawyer's hairs stand on end. She looked up from her desk and her mouth fell open. "Dillon..." Why in the world was he here. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, don't act so disappointed to see me, Sawyer." Dillon walked further into the studio with a smirk. "Besides you're the one who's paying me to play."

"What? Um...no I'm not." Sawyer could feel her blood starting to boil.

"Vagabond Gentry? That's me. I'm lead guitarist."

Sawyer fumbled through the paperwork and realized she didn't have any of the names of the members of the band, just that there were five of them. "Since when do you play with anyone other than yourself? You're a one man show."

"When I realized I could make more money touring with a _band_ and playing gigs."

"How did I let this happen?" She wasn't asking him, more so herself. "Ugh...just...get out of my office." Sawyer didn't want anything else to do with him.

Dillon stepped closer to her desk and glanced at her left hand. She wasn't taken. "Well I was thinking maybe you could show me around this place." He grinned and kicked his head towards the studio. "Turn up the music really loud..."

Was he serious? "Dillon...I want you out of here _right_ now."

"Come on Sawyer. You know we were good together." He gave her another one of those grins. They had been good together...in college for about two years. Then it all went to hell in a handbasket, not to mention that unfortunate run in they'd had four years ago.

Briskly walking away from her desk, Sawyer narrowed her eyes. "I hate you."

"Maybe...but..." He reached for Sawyer as she walked by and pulled her close. "...you loved me once. That's gotta count for something." His eyes fell on hers and Dillon knew only a few more minutes of that and he'd have Sawyer right where he wanted her.

"Let go of me." Sawyer pulled away but felt Dillon's grasp on her tighten. "Dillon..." She cut her eyes and shook her head. "Let. Go."

"Hey!" Sawyer and Dillon turned to the voice in the doorway. "Get away from her."

"And who are you?" Dillon looked at the guy who had about fifty pounds of pure muscle on him. Sawyer pulled away from Dillon and watched her boyfriend walk right over to her ex with a fire in his eyes she'd never seen.

Ben didn't answer Dillon. In fact, he wasn't planning on talking to anyone. When the Coastie was three feet away from the asshole who had ruined everything for him and Sawyer years ago, Ben reared back with a punch that was long overdue.

"Ben! Don't!" Sawyer could see it coming and tried to stop Ben before anything drastic happened but she couldn't stop him.

Dillion didn't have time to react and when Ben's knuckles cracked against his jaw, Dillon went flying backwards. The musician was out before he even hit the ground.

"Oh my God..." Sawyer watched Dillon plummet to the ground and she covered her mouth. "Ben...what did you do?"

Ben wasn't concerned with Dillon and he walked up to Sawyer with a grin. "Something I've wanted to do for the last four years." His hand was throbbing but he wasn't worried about it. He was worried about her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Sawyer looked to Dillon who was out, stone cold and laughed. "He's not." She looked back to her boyfriend and saw him wince. "Are you?"

Ben held his right hand with his left and shook his head. "I think I broke my hand."

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer laughed with a shake of her head. "What where you thinking?"

"I was thinking..." Ben started to rack his brain and shook his head. "I was thinking I was sorry for bringing up the baby thing, and I was thinking...that I love you..." He looked to the floor, "...and I was thinking that I _hate_ him."

Sawyer moved closer to Ben and nodded, "I was thinking the same thing." She kissed him and looked to his hurt hand. "Come on. I'll get you some ice." The music producer pulled Ben out of the studio just in time to see Joel. Sawyer knew he was about to ask something but she simply shook her head. "No opening act tonight, Joel. You can start whenever you want."

While they made it to the bar, Ben could feel the pain radiating up his arm. He was positive that he had a few broken bones beneath his skin, but looking at Sawyer and feeling her wrap his hand made Ben realized he'd do anything for her. He would. If being with her meant he'd end up with broken bones, then so be it. If being with her meant no babies...then so be it.

**OTHOTH**

December was upon Tree Hill and Nathan and Haley's annual Christmas Eve party was in full swing. Sawyer was late as usual, but that could really be blamed on the oversized twelve year old sitting next to her.

After leaving his apartment, Ben opted to take the scenic route to Sawyer's aunt and uncle's house. He always did like to see the Christmas lights people put in their yards and on their homes. His blue-eyed girlfriend was less impressed with the blinking snowmen and animatronic waving, lite-up Santas, however. But Sawyer couldn't help but laugh at Ben's googly eyes and silly grin as they passed the colorful holiday displays.

When they finally pulled up to their destination, Sawyer and Ben walked up the driveway laughing and arguing about which decorations had been best. He'd liked the house with the red and green spotlights, whereas Sawyer liked the classic white lights that were simple and not over the top. They were like oil and water those two- they always would be. Between the two of them, they'd never collectively deicide which was the best but it didn't really matter. Sawyer and Ben's relationship wasn't about their disagreements. Those frequent yet petty discrepancies weren't the things that kept their relationship going for the last seventeen months. What had done that was the way they cared for one another, and the way they protected and defended each other; it was the way he loved her and the way she loved him. Quite frankly, it was the way his warm hand wrapped around hers, his grip so tight, but not restricting. Ben Trammel was exactly what Sawyer Scott needed. He was six years ago and he was today.

Ben stopped short of going in and looked to the woman on his right.

Sawyer slowed her pace and caught his odd stare. She grinned with a laugh, "What?" She looked down and figured she must have had toothpaste on her sweater. "Is something on me that's not supposed to be?" Her laugh twisted into a smirk and she put her hands on her hips, "Or do you really just want me to say that the house on Chestnut Street was the best?"

He shook his head and softly leaned over to kiss her. For no matter or no reason, he just did it. "Merry Christmas."

Feeling a smile curl out of her lips, Sawyer kissed him back. "Merry Christmas." She opened up the door and heard the madness of the party as they stepped inside. Sawyer saw her mom first and widened her eyes. "Hey."

Peyton smiled at her oldest and welcomed the couple inside. Ben put his jacket in the closet and was soon separated from his girlfriend. Sawyer went in one direction and Ben found himself perusing through the other. Ben made small talk with Sawyer's brother and cousin while the blonde made her way over to the newest Tree Hill addition.

Charlotte was sitting on the couch next to Davis' fiance, Amelia, and the brown-eyed mother of two smiled at her old roommate. "You made it."

Laughing, Sawyer took a seat, "Barely." She looked to the little boy in her best friend's arms and smiled at Scott. "Hey, Stink Bomb." Sawyer held her hand out to the nine month old and laughed.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Sawyer...you have to stop calling him that."

"Why? It's a good nickname. It fits." The blonde laughed out loud and looked to Amelia. There was a reason Sawyer called Scott Stink Bomb on occasion. "You've heard the story, right?"

"Pieces and parts." The kindergarten teacher nodded. "Something about Charlotte's water breaking on your couch." Amelia laughed and could only imagine how that had played out back in March.

Sticking her tongue out, Sawyer winced with a nod. "Yes. All _over_ my couch."

"What... I'm sorry. It just happened." Charlotte bounced Scott on her lap and pressed her nose into his cheek. "But look what we got from it."

"Yeah..." Sawyer playfully poked Scott in the belly and ticked him. "I guess your cuteness over powers my ruined furniture."

Nodding at Sawyer's statement, Charlotte wanted to make sure Amelia knew the rest of the story. "At least Graham and I bought you a new one."

"True..."

"Hey Sawyer..." A loud set of steps made their way towards the women, and an blue-eyed eleven year old held up an assorted bag of fireworks. "Skills gave this to me, and mom and dad said I could shoot them off in the backyard, but I need someone with me. It's kinda cold and nobody wants to, so...will you?"

Bennet asked her so quickly, Sawyer wasn't exactly sure what she was nodding about, but she agreed. "Yeah...I'll get a jacket and meet you out there."

"Awesome, thanks!"

Surprised Sawyer was so quick to say yes, Charlotte smiled at her best friend. "Well that was nice of you."

"What can I say..." Sawyer laughed and got up to grab a jacket. "I'm nice when I want to be." That was true, but Sawyer also had a soft spot for Jamie and Liza's son. To date he was the best practice wedding partner she'd ever had.

She started to walk away and passed Nathan, Jamie, and her dad. They were immersed in sports talk which brought a smile to Sawyer's face. Maneuvering through the other groups of people who were talking about this and that, Sawyer reached into the coat closet and grabbed Ben's since it was closest. He wouldn't care. As long as she didn't catch it on fire, Sawyer was pretty sure he wouldn't mind.

On her way to the backdoor, Sawyer walked with Liza to the kitchen. The former soccer player had glitter all over her shirt and it wasn't supposed to be there.

"What happened to you?"

Liza went wide eyed with a laugh, "Well...Claire and Hattie were playing upstairs and somehow they got into this..." Liza held out her glitter covered hands, "...and it's everywhere. I'm trying to clean it up before they track it down stairs. I'm really not sure how a six year old and two and a half year old are capable of making such a mess."

"Just ask my mom. At six I'm pretty sure I drew on the carpet with Hershey's syrup." Wincing, Sawyer laughed, "But if it makes you feel any better, I'll be busy with Bennet outside so you won't have to worry about him."

"Ha...oh, good. Thanks."

Liza went for the kitchen pantry to look for some cleaning material, and Sawyer eyed her brother and sister-in-law hovering over the food. "There better be one of those little sandwiches left...I haven't even had one yet."

Bridget was making her plate and looked over her shoulder to smile at Sawyer. "There are. And Haley even gave me the recipe..."

"Of course she did." Sawyer laughed and approached the back door.

Keith laughed out loud and shook his head, "Don't take it too hard, Sawyer. You can't cook to save your life."

"Whatever..." Sawyer waved her younger brother off and walked outside into the cool December air after grabbing a lighter. Bennet was standing by the stairs that led down to the yard and he waved her over. The thirty year old laughed and hurried her pace. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses, Bennet." She slipped her arms through the sleeves of Ben's jacket she'd been carrying in her arms and nodded. "Alright...so I'm just supervising, right?"

"Yeah. I mean...I'll be careful. " Bennet opened his kiddie assorted pack of sparklers, and simple fireworks. "You just need to light the stuff."

"I think I can handle that." Sawyer slid her thumb against the lighter and smiled at the orange flame that popped up.

"Here...let's do this one first." Bennet pulled out a tank looking thing. Sawyer lit it and the two Scotts watched smoke blow out of the barrel. Bennet was thoroughly amused and Sawyer was amused by him.

For the next fifteen minutes or so they continued to go through the assorted bag of was writing things in the sky with his sparkler when somebody walked up behind Sawyer.

"You haven't blown anything up yet, have you?" Keith laughed and stood next to his sister.

Turning with narrowed eyes, Sawyer shook her head. "Not yet." She looked to the bag of dwindling fireworks, "So did you come out here to get in on the action?"

Keith laughed and shook his head. "No." The twenty-eight year old laughed with a smirk, "Is it _so_ hard to believe I just wanted to have a conversation with my sister?"

"Mmm...well..." Sawyer elbowed her brother with a laugh.

The pair of them got quiet for a minute as they watched Bennet run around with his sparklers. Keith swallowed hard and started to grin. "So you know how you were the first person I told about the Keith's garage?"

Nodding with a smile, Sawyer arched her brow, "You didn't go by a dredging boat now, did you?" Sawyer could already picture her little brother aiming to get in on both sides of the family business. He'd already bought the garage and she could already see him buying a boat, too.

"No." Keith smiled and felt his excitement heat his cheeks through the cold December air. "Bridget's pregnant."

"What?" Sawyer laughed with a smile, "That's great." Sawyer hugged Keith and knew how excited me must have been. "Have you told Mom and Dad?"

"Not yet."

Feeling pretty proud that she'd been the first to know, Sawyer grinned even wider. "So that's why Bridget was overloading her plate in the kitchen."

Laughing, Keith turned to look at the house and saw his wife through the window talking with family. "Yeah, you could say that."

Punching Keith hard on the right shoulder, Sawyer smiled. "You're gonna be a dad."

Wincing, Keith held his shoulder and nodded. "You're gonna be an aunt."

Sawyer already felt like she was an aunt with Charlotte and Graham's kids, but this time it would be different. Grinning at Keith, Sawyer laughed, "Well I'm sure the baby will be adorable...just as long as it looks more like Bridget than you." Laughing harder, Sawyer stuck her hands in the pocket's of Ben's jacket and pulled the coat tight around her shoulders. Then Sawyer's right hand landed on a small square box.

"Yeah, yeah..." He rolled his eyes and then saw his sister's face turn from joking to...concerned. He could see she wanted to say something and he furrowed his brow. "What is it?"

Sawyer's breathing got slow as her nerves crawled up her arm. Was that little box what she thought it was? Hopefully not. But then again if it was...maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

Before jumping the gun and assuming that little box had some sort of ring in it, Sawyer swallowed hard not wanting to trump his news, because let's be honest, one word of an engagement ring and Sawyer and Ben, and the entire house would burst with excitement. Even baby loving Brooke would be more eager to learn about a potential wedding for her God-daughter than the news of another baby.

But this was Keith's night. Keith and Bridget were going to be the belles of the ball, not her. Sawyer might not even be right about a ring, so she flashed him a smile and changed the subject, "Twenty bucks you two have a little boy."

Wishing his sister hadn't changed subjects, Keith took a deep breath and grinned, "You think so?"

"I think I've been mostly right about the others...so yeah."

"Sawyer..." Bennet ran over to his cousin, "...can I have another sparkler?"

"Sure." Sawyer lit another one for Bennet and watched Keith walk back inside as someone else headed over to her.

With that sweet grin, and his tall Coastie frame, Ben lifted a brow and walked closer to his girlfriend, "I was wondering where you ran off to."

"Oh you know...they thought _I_ was the most responsible to supervise Bennet and his fireworks."

Laughing, Ben slipped his arm around Sawyer, "Well we haven't had to call the fire department yet."

"This is true." Sawyer laughed and leaned into Ben's side.

"My dad called and wanted to say 'Merry Christmas'..."

"He has no idea, does he?"

"That we're flying out there tomorrow?" Ben grinned and shook his head. "No." He looked to Sawyer and nodded, "Thanks for doing that, by the way- getting us plane tickets."

"Well it's one of your Christmas presents, and besides...on a selfish note, I _really_ wasn't sure I could handle fourteen hours of "Walking in Memphis."

Shaking his head because he knew she liked the song, Ben could only smirk, "You know you love some Marc Cohn."

"Yeah...in _small_ amounts." Sawyer may have been lying a little. That dumb song was a fixture in her life that wasn't going away. She probably could have survived a car ride with Ben and that song (she had before), but flying was the easiest route. It also didn't help that Joel was blowing up on the music scene. The extra money it cost to fly really wasn't a problem. "You think you're dad will be surprised when a taxi pulls up to the house tomorrow night?"

"Definitely."

Russ had come to Tree Hill for Thanksgiving last month and gave Sawyer a little surprise of her own. Ben, too.

_Sawyer was standing at baggage claim and ready to pounce on her luggage before it passed her. Keith and Bridget's stuff were literally the first bags to come through the conveyer belt and the blonde silently cussed when they got their things so quickly. Knowing her luck, Sawyer's stuff would be at the very end of the line or it would have disappeared all together._

_The whole family flew to see Karen and Andy for Thanksgiving this year. Lucas and Peyton, the kids, and Lily and her family all met up to spend the holiday together. Ben had been invited but duty called. He was supposed to go out on a Diligence patrol so he couldn't travel with his girlfriend. But the distance had been good. It always was. There were few things in life, except for Elvis Costello perhaps, that she liked more than standing on the Riverwalk and watching his ship come in. He'd be home in four days, and Sawyer's eagerness to see him was rubbing off on her desire to get her crap and go._

"_That's one of ours..." Lucas leaned across his oldest and pulled Peyton's suitcase off the moving line of luggage._

_Laughing, Sawyer turned to her father and shook her head. "My stuff will be last. I know it."_

_Squinting with a laugh, Lucas shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe not." He smiled and put the bag down as he waited for his suitcase. "I left the book with your grandmother."_

_Taking a deep breath, Sawyer nodded. "I thought I saw you slip it to her." The book, her book, was something she and her dad had been collectively working on for the last six months. His original version needed some tweaking and after many hours working and arguing in his study, the two of them were pretty content on how the book was coming along. Sawyer still wasn't sure about the ending, though. She wanted to see how her own life played out before they put pen to paper. It wasn't finished and might never be. Truth be told, it wasn't really about the words on the page, but the experience Sawyer and Lucas had as they worked through the sentences together._

"_Ha..." Sawyer grinned as she spotted her suitcase make it's way towards her. "The baggage claim people don't suck!"_

_Lucas could only laugh at Sawyer and watched her pick up her bag. "See you later."_

_Nodding at her dad, Sawyer said goodbye to him and her mom before heading out the door. Her car was all but waving at her as the sea-blue paint sparkled in the sunlight. After tossing her bag in the back, Sawyer he hopped in the hot leather and relished in the feeling. It cranked on the first try and she was out of the parking lot in no time._

_The drive home was filled with loud music and fall's cool breeze blowing through her tangled mess of hair. When she pulled on her street, Sawyer instantly got excited to see Trout. He'd been hanging around Charlotte and Graham's house, but after talking with Charlotte this morning, Sawyer knew Graham brought Trout home to greet her when she got there._

_But apparently Trout wasn't the only one home._

"_Who the hell..." There was a green Nissan in the driveway with an Ohio license plate. Last time she checked, she didn't know anyone in Ohio. She didn't seem to notice the Enterprise rental car sticker on the plate, though._

_Cautiously getting out of her car, Sawyer didn't even bother with her luggage. If someone was robbing her house, she certainly didn't want to have her hands full when she walked in._

_The door was unlocked and she could hear music humming through her speakers. It was Van Morrison. She could hear someone rattling around in the kitchen and then heard someone's voice coming from the backyard. Inching further into her house, Sawyer saw the backdoor open and then a man standing in front of the sink peeling the skin off an onion. But it wasn't any man._

_He was just like his son except shorter. His foot was softly tapping to the beat and he hummed a few lines of the song while working his hands over the vegetable. "Na, na, na na. Na, na, naaaa, na." _

_Sawyer couldn't help but smile at him for singing along, and she walked closer. The old floors of the house creaked and Russ turned around._

_The veterinarian caught the music lover's eyes and smiled. "Well hey there, Sawyer." The older Tennessean wiped his hands on the apron he had tied around his waist. "Let me wash up..." He knew the onion smell wouldn't provide a very welcoming hug._

"_Russ...hi." Surprised to see him in her house, Sawyer hugged the older man she considered one of her best friends. She didn't even care that he reeked of onion. "What are you doing here?"_

"_Well...we thought we'd make you some dinner." _

_We? Who was we? Sawyer looked out the back window and saw Trout run after a tennis ball someone had thrown for him. Trout wasn't much for fetch unless Ben was the one throwing the ball. And sure enough, Sawyer saw the Coastie walk toward the middle of the yard clapping for their dog. "What's he doing here?" Sawyer didn't think she'd see him for another four days._

"_Turned out that patrol of his got cancelled." The older man smiled and kicked his head towards the sliding glass door._

_Cancelled? Last she'd heard everything was smooth sailing. Had that been some ploy to make her think __he'd be gone when she got home? It must have been._

_Whistling for Trout to head back his way, Ben watched the golden retriever lose motivation for their game of fetch and start running for the back of the house. "Whoa...whoa boy. The ball is back that way." Ben watched the dog run by him and saw Sawyer standing on the porch. Her sunglasses were in her hair and that arched brow of hers made him laugh._

_She walked down the few steps into the grass and walked over to the smiling Coastie. "Why didn't you tell me the patrol was cancelled?"_

_Ben shrugged his shoulders and put his hands around her waist. "I kinda thought it might be nice to surprise you- be home when you got back."_

"_And you're dad's here too."_

_Nodding, Ben grinned wider. "Since I ended up staying, he came up for Thanksgiving and decided to stay a few extra days."_

_Now realizing that the car in her driveway must have been Russ' rental, Sawyer nodded._

_Pulling her hips closer to him, Ben leaned down to kiss her, "I'm glad your back."_

_Sawyer fished her arms up over his broad shoulders and locked her hands behind his head. "I love you."_

"_Good to know, OJ." He smiled with a cute smirk and kissed her again. "Good to know."_

_Russ walked out on the back porch, "Come tell me about New Zealand, Sawyer. I wanna know all about your trip."_

_Ben slipped his hand around Sawyer's and the two of them walked to the porch together._

Sawyer's memory faded when she heard Ben ask her for the lighter. He and Bennet were going to duel each other in a non-confrontational, non-burning, make-believe sparkler sword fight.

When both of the sparklers were lit, Sawyer laughed at the boys and stuck her hands back in the pockets of Ben's coat. She felt that square little box again and then heard Ben ask Bennet to draw his weapon. Then it suddenly dawned on her; whatever was in that box, whatever question that may follow or be in the near future, Sawyer knew without a doubt what her answer would be.

Yes.

It would be yes.

For the longest time she didn't want it and adamantly denied the idea of settling down with someone so permanently, but she'd clearly grown out of those thoughts. Right now, right then, Sawyer was changing her mind. This was the second time she'd reconsidered, and for the second time, she'd reconsidered because of who was on the other end.

Ben. It always went back to Ben.

Once the holiday cheer and party ended, friends and family headed home to await Christmas morning. Sawyer and Ben drove back to her house, and Sawyer kept a curious eye on his jacket as he took it off to get into something to sleep in. He slid in the bed next to her and let Sawyer lay her head on his shoulder.

"So...breakfast with your folks and then our plane leaves at four, right?"

"Yeah, something like that." Sawyer nodded and then started to wonder about the pending proposal she thought was on it's way.

"And you know what I was thinking?"

Was this it? Was he about to ask? Sawyer turned to look up to him and raised her eyes. "Hmm?"

"What if we took Trout with us? I bet he'd love to run around the house and explore a little bit of Tennessee."

"Oh." That was the first thing that came out of her mouth and Sawyer quickly tried to hide her disappointment. "Yeah, I bet we just have to call the airline and buy a pet ticket."

"And you know what else?" He leaned over to the light and left them in the dark.

So this was it. This was the _big_ question. "What?"

Ben furrowed his brow and looked to his girlfriend. "Did Keith seem like he was... a little extra cheery at the party? Did have too much eggnog or something?"

Sawyer laughed out loud and rolled into Ben shaking her head. "No."

"Well...when we started talking about the shop and that old Chevy he was working on..."

"Bridget's pregnant."

Hearing that made him smile. "Good for them." As far as Ben was concerned, that really was great for Keith and Bridget. He couldn't deny the fact that he wanted the same thing,though. But he also couldn't deny the fact that he loved a woman who didn't want kids. He felt sure one of these days she'd have a change of heart, though. One of these days she'd come around to the idea of babies, and one of these days she might actually consider marrying him. But right now Ben didn't want to press his luck.

If only he had, though. Sawyer seemed ready and willing for one half of that equation, Ben just needed to ask.

**OTHOTH**

December melted into spring, the new year brought birthdays, anniversaries, and Davis and Amelia finally got hitched. Summer sped by with the Diligence Dash, the Fourth of July burned out like the fireworks in the sky, and now Labor Day was upon Tree Hill. The September holiday weekend brought good weather and good times. Graham opted to get the old sailboat out of the shed and he and Ben were gonna go on a two day sail while Charlotte and Sawyer got to watch movies and girl-talk.

After saying goodbye to their guys at the marina, Sawyer drove her convertible toward the gas-station. Sawyer pulled up to a pump and while she let the car fill up, she headed inside for a few Mountain Dews, Cokes, and some junk food for their girl time. With the kiddos with Nathan and Haley, and the boys riding against the waves of the Atlantic, Sawyer was pretty excited about spending some time with her best friend.

When she walked out of the store with a paper bag full of junk food she saw Charlotte standing in the parking lot. "What are you doing?" The blonde didn't know why the brunette was out of the car and walked closer "Hey...? Don't get too close. Birds have all _sorts_ of diseases." Sawyer made a funny face and let her gaze fall on what her cousin was looking at. It seemed Charlotte's attention was taken by a flock of birds that had landed in the grass.

Looking at Sawyer, Charlotte pointed, "Those are brown...right?"

Was Charlotte colorblind? Sawyer cut her eyes and nodded slowly. "Yeah." Sawyer made another face puzzled. "Are they endangered or something? I haven't seen those before." Her eyes roamed the group. "There're just two?"

Uh-oh. There it was. That damn number. Sawyer had't forgotten about it. Were _two_ brown birds important?

"Yeah." Charlotte looked back to the clouds rolling in and then towards the marina. "We need to go. We need to go back."

"Back where?" Sawyer was a little confused and before she got an answer, Sawyer saw Charlotte walking back to the car.

"Wait, Charlotte..." Sawyer hurried to catch up with her cousin and put the bag down in the back. "What's going on?"

Charlotte couldn't really explain it. Graham told her that if she ever saw a brown pelican if meant trouble was ahead-something bad. Considering they just watched her husband and Sawyer's boyfriend set sail into the vast and unforgiving sea, Charlotte felt an ache in her chest start to swell. "Something's wrong." She shook her head and shrugged. "I just...we need to go back to the marina." Maybe they hadn't left yet?

Sawyer looked at Charlotte like she was crazy but started the car and headed towards the marina anyway. "So explain to me what the deal is. I'm lost."

The mother of two felt the wind run across the back of her neck and all the hair on her body stood up. Charlotte shook her head. "Those birds..." Charlotte bit her lip and looked to the water. "Graham always told me to watch out for the brown ones. They come in when a storm's rolling in."

"You know he makes most of what he tells you up." Sawyer shook her head and laughed. "I'm sure it was just something he created on a whim."

Not this time. It didn't feel like it. Charlotte could sense that trouble was brewing. "I don't know, Sawyer. I think..." Keeping her eyes in the direction of the marina, the younger Scott shrugged. "Something's wrong."

That was at least the second time Charlotte had said that, and now Sawyer was freaking out. What was wrong? Everything sure seemed fine when they left the boys at the marina. "Okay, okay...I'm going as fast as I can." Sawyer sped through the traffic and pulled into a parking space at the marina.

Both of the women got out of the car and Charlotte spotted Graham's sails drifting away from land. "They already left." Her shoulders hung and Charlotte took a deep, regretful breath.

"Well if anything happens, they'll be fine." Sawyer was starting to wonder if anything was going to happen and shook off any anxiety her younger cousin instilled in her. "They're in the Coast Guard, for Pete's sake. I think they'll be okay." She looked at Charlotte and could see she wasn't convinced. "Hey, come on... Let's eat shitty food, talk bad about people, and not worry about anything." Sawyer put her arm around Charlotte and guided her best friend back to the car. The blonde couldn't help but take a look back to the sailboat though. Something did seem off.

But the guys were just fine. The wind was blowing strong and they were headed out to sea without a care in the world. Ben ducked under the boom as it swung around the boat, and Graham tied off the smaller mast and looked out across the never ending sea.

"So I gotta ask you a favor, Graham..."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" The green-eyed Coastie reached into the cooler and tossed Ben a beer.

"Sawyer and I have a bet going about when you and Charlotte have the next baby, and I'm gonna be out a hundred bucks if you two get pregnant in the next month."

Laughing out loud, Graham nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do about that." He laughed again and shook his head. "I don't think you have anything to worry about though, man. We're not trying for another one for a while." They had two and were perfectly content right now.

"Yeah, you say that, but I know Charlotte. She's all about babies." Charlotte was the second of two people in town who, hands down, absolutely adored children.

"True, but I also think she can do without the baby weight, swollen ankles, and leaky breasts for a little while longer."

Ben smiled and watched the waves roll by the boat. "You sound like Sawyer...at least how she feels about all that."

"She still hasn't changed her mind?" Graham knew the one issue that had been plaguing his good friend had been that. Sawyer was adamant about not having any kids but Ben had always wanted a family.

"About kids? Ben shook his head, "No." The Tennessean was in a sticky situation and had been for a while now. The girl he loved, the one Ben wanted to spend the rest of his days with was convinced that she didn't need snotty nosed kids in her life. It was an issue he thought about constantly and struggled with numerous times. There were plenty of others who could give him what he wanted, but the problem was that he wanted it with _her_. They'd been back together just over two years now, but Ben was starting to think Sawyer would never change.

One of these days he was going to have to make a decision, and it might be a really hard one. "I don't want to break up with her because of it but..." Ben breathed deeply, "I don't know."

"Well what if you have mine and Charlotte's next one?" Graham was only teasing to get a smile from Ben. He certainly didn't want to see Sawyer and Ben breakup. They were much better together than they were appart.

"I guess I can live with that." He pointed at his best friend, "Only as long as I can teach him how to play baseball. And I'd rather teach a _boy_ baseball, but I can maybe do the softball thing."

"Alright." The father of two smiled and looked up to the sky and wondered if rain was on its way. The clouds seemed to spread over the sky without warning and blue was turning gray. Graham looked back to his compass and arched his brow. "I bet you they're talking about us. Charlotte and Sawyer."

"Don't they always?"

While the guys nodded and laughed, the girls were nearly to Charlotte and Graham's house. Sawyer pulled along the curb when they got there and pressed the button for the top. If it was going to rain she sure as hell didn't want her leather getting messed up.

Charlotte was slow to walk to the porch, and when she unlocked the door, Mack greeted her with a wet tongue.

"If I'd thought about it, I would have brought Trout. It could have been just like the good old days." Sawyer patted on Mack and pushed her sunglasses into her hair as she walked into the kitchen. "And look what I brought from home..." The blonde pulled out one of those concentrated margarita mixes with a grin. "And..." The thirty-one year old held out some tequila. "Unless of course...you have some news you'd like to share." Sawyer certainly wished that was the case. She had a bet going on with Ben and would be out one hundred dollars if their friends weren't pregnant by the end of the month.

Charlotte smiled and put her hand over her stomach. "No..."

The younger of the two knew about the bet, and told Sawyer she knew. They both had a good laugh about it and then Charlotte watched Sawyer drop the necessary ingredients in the blinder. Sawyer pressed the button so the margarita mix and alcohol blended into a delicious, icy mixture. The blonde poured equal portions into the glasses Charlotte got out and the girls clinked their drinks together.

Charlotte sipped hers and watched Sawyer nearly gulp down her entire serving. "Jeeze, Sawyer...save some for later."

"Ah..." Pressing her hand deep into her forehead, Sawyer winced. "Brain freeze." She'd tried to get in as much alcohol as possible. There were some uncomfortable things she needed to talk with Charlotte about.

"Well, uh...that's what you get when..."

"I have to break up with Ben." It was short and directly to the point.

Charlotte let the sentence register and she shook her head. "_What_? Why?"

Sawyer looked to her cousin because she knew Charlotte already had that answer. "Charlotte..."

"Because of the baby thing?"

Nodding, Sawyer sat down, "And because I won't marry him." Turned out that little box hadn't been for her. It was for his dad. Instead of a ring, that little box she found back in December housed an old baseball coin Ben gave his dad for Christmas. Big whoop. And unfortunately when Sawyer found out it wasn't a ring, her thoughts on marriage disappeared too. It wasn't for her. It never would be. She'd only had a mild lapse in personal judgement for a split second.

"He asked!" Charlotte's mouth fell open and she hurried to sit down next to Sawyer.

"No, but...they kind of go hand in hand, you know." Sawyer finished the last gulp of her margarita. "It's not fair for him." Her worst fear was having Ben waste his heart on her. She had a soul that wouldn't settle down and couldn't be tamed. Why make him wait for something that would probably never happen?

"What about you?" The younger of the two looked to her cousin and furrowed her brow. Sawyer loved Ben, so what about her? Didn't she get a say in things?

"What _about_ me? I love the wrong guy."

"Don't say that. I don't think that's true." Charlotte didn't think that for a minute. Sawyer and Ben were and always would be great together.

"It is." Sawyer nodded and covered her face with her hands. "We don't want the same things and I can't keep going in circles with it."

Charlotte could see that Sawyer was getting upset, so Graham's wife rubbed on Sawyer's back. "It's gonna be fine, Saw. You know how things like this just...work out."

A ripple of lighting shot across the sky and thunder boomed through the September air. Hearing Mother Nature's roar, Sawyer laughed and wiped a tear from her cheek. "See...I bet that's a sign or something."

Looking outside, Charlotte saw the rain start to come down and she bit her lip. "Maybe not. Maybe it'll be like those birds. I worried about them for nothing." Nothing may have been a strong word because the weather had turned ugly in an instance. Her husband was still out at sea. So was Ben.

Sawyer rolled her eyes and she laughed at the coincidence. _Two_ birds and Sawyer wanted to shoot them both. "Ugh... I hate this."

"Well look...," Charlotte got up and topped off Sawyer's glass. Let's go lay down and put in a movie, forget about everything else, and then we can worry about you and Ben in a little while.

Nodding, Sawyer got up and followed her cousin into the bedroom. The girls got settled and Charlotte turned the television on only to see a weather bulletin scrolling at the bottom of the screen. _Significant Weather Advisory. Strong wind and rain expected until 4pm. Stay tuned for more information and updates. _Great. That was just what Charlotte needed. Not only did she need to get Sawyer's mind away from Ben, but now that a storm was blowing in, all she could think about was Graham.

"So what are we watching?" Sawyer hunkered down in the pillows and had a roll of toilet paper by her side. She had a funny feeling no matter the context, she'd do a significant amount of crying. If she and Ben were going to break up, then the last seven years had been worthless, and that was a lot of time to throw away. What they had was really more than the two years they'd been _back_ together.

"Um..." Charlotte laid down next to Sawyer and scrolled through the On-Demand section. She heard Sawyer softly start to cry and Charlotte put down the remote. "We don't have to watch anything if you don't want to."

Nodding, Sawyer held wads of toilet paper up to her eyes and cried about everything she was going to lose.

"Ugh...I just... Why is this so damn hard?"

"Love's complicated."

"_More_ than complicated." Sawyer laughed and dabbed her welling eyes. "I just wish I wanted what he wanted so we could be happy, because I know he's not."

For the next two hours the girls did more of the same. Charlotte and Sawyer ended up using multiple toilet paper rolls to dab their eyes after talking about the past and such. Even though they didn't get to watch a movie, they'd done more bonding in the last two hours than they had in the last two years. Sometimes it took a breaking point to bring friends close together again.

The rain was still pounding against the house and Sawyer looked up to the ceiling. "How can you stand that?" The tin roof was noisy as hell and Sawyer had to find something to pick apart other than herself.

"I don't know. You get used to it."

"Well, I don't..." Sawyer stopped mid sentence when she heard something. "Did you hear that?"

Charlotte sat up in bed and listened for anything out of the ordinary. Something sounded like it was coming from the front of the house. "Go check."

"Me?" Sawyer shook her head. "It's your _creepy_ house. _You_ do it." Sawyer laughed and threw her snot wads on the floor.

Charlotte took a deep breath and started to get out of bed. She slowly walked to out of the bedroom just in time to see the front door open. "Oh my God..." She was sure she was about to be killed by a burglar until she heard her _attacker's_ voice.

"Hey."

Peeking an eye open, Charlotte laughed. "Graham?" He was soaking wet but still had that cute grin. "What are you doing here?"

"The weather got bad so we turned back. Figured it would be better to do it when it _wasn't_ storming." He laughed and ran his hand over his damp hair.

Ben hurried inside and dropped their bags on the floor. "I think I got it all." Sawyer came out of the bedroom clutching the hairdryer. It was the only thing she could find to defend herself. Ben looked at his girlfriend with a laugh. "What are you doing with that, O.J.?"

Answering for Sawyer, Charlotte laughed. "We thought you were going to kill us." Charlotte laughed at the mere thought.

Sawyer hadn't said anything yet and Ben noticed her tear stains. "Y'all watch a sad movie or something?"

Feeling his gaze upon her, Sawyer knew her emotions were about to run rampant. "I...I have to go."

"Go?" Graham watched Sawyer move passed them and walk outside. "It's raining."

"Sawyer..." Ben followed Sawyer out the door and left Charlotte and Graham speechless in their foyer. Ben almost slipped down the steps but caught up to his girlfriend. "Hey..wait a second. What's wrong."

"What's wrong! Ben..." Sawyer shook her head as the rain fell from above. "We have to break up. That's what's wrong."

His face crinkled with hurt and he looked to their friend's house. "Did Charlotte say something to you, because I haven't made up my mind yet." He could tell she was fighting with this new information and he held out his hands. "I never told them I wanted to do it now."

"Wait..." Sawyer swallowed hard and looked at Ben, "You. _You_ want to break up with _me_?"

Ben quickly realized Charlotte hadn't said a word to Sawyer about his thoughts. Graham either. "No...I..."

"You do." Sawyer felt her heart slowly start to deflate when she realized _he_ intended to break up with _her_. It was one thing to be the one initiating the break-up, it was another to be on the other side. She turned away and sloshed through the standing water.

"Whoa...whoa..." Ben stopped Sawyer and turned her around, "_You're_ the one who just said we have to break up. So you were thinking about it too. I'm not the _only_ bad guy here."

"_Why_ didn't you tell me!" Sawyer voice was full of hurt and regret.

"Why didn't you tell _me_?" Ben equally wanted the same questioned answered.

Obviously they weren't communicating very well.

"Why?" Sawyer wiped her face and shook her head. "Do you know how hard it was for me to see you in the hospital when we went to visit Keith and Bridget last week? Don't you know how happy you were?" Tears started to merge with the rain that was falling and Sawyer's chin quivered, "We were standing in front of the nursery and you had that big, dumb smile and I knew. I knew you were waiting for me to change my mind. You want to have kids, Ben." Sawyer bit her lip and shrugged. "I don't."

"I know that."

"Then why are you still with me!"

"Because...because..." His throat felt like it was constricting, "Because I don't want that with anyone _but_ you, but you're making it _really_ hard for me to keep thinking that- that being with you is enough. Cause you're right. When we went to the hospital and saw Kit, I pictured us with three little toe-headed kids one day- _our_ kids."

Standing next to her car in the pouring rain, Sawyer was a mess. Him saying that last part didn't help at all.

Running on hurt and anger and a mixture of everything else, Ben pointed at her, "You don't want to get married, you don't want kids. Hell, Sawyer, we don't even live together. I'm sorry if breaking up crossed my mind." He threw his hands up and started backing up. "But you know what? I'm done."

"_Fine_!"

"Fine!", Ben barked back. He turned away from Sawyer and started walking down the street. They drove together but he sure as hell wasn't getting in the car with her. He could walk.

Fumbling with the door handle, Sawyer sat down and laid her head on the steering wheel while cranking the old Volkswagen. Her stomach hurt she was crying so hard and she pulled away from the curb with blurry vision and and a broken heart.

Sawyer sped down the street and instead of going home she went to Tric. It was her go-to place whenever she was having a bad day. Not only was there a full bar but she could lock herself up in the studio and blare music so loud that her eardrums might actually burst. At this point, that might be less painful than what she was going through.

Her tires sloshed through the muddy, gravel parking lot and she was thankful few people were there at 3 P.M on a Saturday afternoon. Sawyer hurried up the steps and spotted Neil behind the bar. She was leaving a wet trail behind her as the rain dripped from her soaked clothes. She didn't care about the water, and she certainly didn't care who saw her looking less than made up.

Neil walked out from behind the bar and met her halfway there. "Are okay?"

That simple question sent Sawyer into quiet sobs.

"Hey...hey... It's gonna be alright." Neil had no idea what was wrong with Sawyer but hugged his friend because he knew she needed it. "There are some towels in the back and some dry Tric tee-shirts you can put on."

"I just...I..." Sawyer managed to laugh at herself. "I need a drink."

"Alright...well..." Neil turned to look at the nearly vacant bar. "Why don't you get something dry on, I'll get you a drink and if you want to talk about it, you can."

"Thanks." Sawyer smiled at Neil and wiped away a stray tear. She'd have to remember to thank him for being so kind to her later. Sawyer went to the storage room and found a t-shirt to swap with her wet one and a sweatshirt she could tie around her waist. She walked back to the bar and took a seat.

"Here. Might make you feel better." Neil smiled and passed her the drink.

Sawyer took one sip and then decided she might as well talk out her problems. Neil was like the town shrink anyways. "Ben and I broke up."

"For _real_ or for _now_?"

"For real." Sawyer didn't see a reconciliation happening again. "It's about the kid thing. I mean you know how I feel about that. I hate kids."

Neil laughed and shook his head. "You don't _hate_ kids. Wasn't it last week you were bragging about Keith's son?"

"But that's different. He's my nephew."

"Look...when I found out I was gonna be a dad before Oliver was born, I freaked. I was kinda like you. I didn't like kids. I thought they were gross and stuck things up their nose that didn't belong there." Neil laughed thinking about his son. "And he definitely did that, but they're really not that bad. I'll tell you right now he's the best thing that ever happened to us." Neil could still see an unamused look on Sawyer's face. "So tell me this. What makes you think you don't want kids?"

Sawyer knew that answer. "I can hardly take care of myself. How would I even begin to take care of a kid?"

"You learn. We learned." Neil shrugged, "It's not easy but working at it is what makes parenting great. You see them walk for the first time or they say your name...they say 'I love you' and they make the world seem a little less dark."

Sawyer laughed a little and sipped on her drink. "Maybe for some, but I... It's not for me."

"And it might not be. All I can say is that it's not something you would fail at, and it's not something you, Sawyer, would hate."

"You're team Ben. I bet he told you to say all that if we ever broke up about this."

Neil laughed and shook his head. "If I'm playing on teams, I'm on yours. You know that." He smiled at the customer who sat down next to Sawyer and took his order. "What can I get for ya?"

Sawyer was in her own little world thinking about her life decisions and then heard the guy ask her a question.

"I take it you had a bad day?"

"You could say that." Sawyer nodded and could still feel the dampness that soaked through to her underwear.

"Sorry to hear that." His voice sounded familiar and Sawyer turned to look at him. Emmett Fuller, the guy who worked at the hardware shop was looking at her with kind eyes and a sweet smile. "Hey."

"Hey." Sawyer smiled back with an amused smile. "Kinda early to start drinking, huh?" She looked at his beer and arched her brow.

He nodded and looked to the little bubbles that were rising to the surface. "You could say I had a bad day, too."

Interested in hearing someone's problems other than her own, Sawyer turned to face him. "Work related or personal?"

"Both." Emmett ran a hand over his dark hair, "I quit my job today, hurt my dad's feelings, and made my mom cry."

"You don't want to run your dad's shop?"

"Nope." He took a swig of his beer and then looked at Sawyer with a shrug. "Wanna get out of here?"

Sawyer looked around and then nodded. She could waste away the rest of the afternoon and not think about her broken heart or Ben. Emmett seemed nice enough. Why not?

**OTHOTH**

**So... What's gonna happen next? Is Emmett, Sawyer's next guy? Is Ben still going to be in the picture? What's the deal? Well, next chapter will be a big one. A _huge_ one. Sushi guy will be revealed and a major accident is gonna happen. Sawyer and Charlotte's stories are caught up time wise with each other and their next chapter(s) will correlate directly with one another. I'll have to update this one first, even though Charlotte's is technically supposed to be next, because other wise it would give away far too much. I don't really want you to find out who sushi guy is in Charlotte's chapter...I think that should be revealed in _this_ story...you know what I mean.**

**My reviewers...you know how awesome y'all are. I love hearing from y'all!**

**Please review!**


	19. Accidents Happen

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 19: Accidents Will Happen**

**Disclaimer: "If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the UP button." I don't own that quote, either!**

**A/N: The first section picks up where last chapter left off (September), the 2nd and 3rd both take place in March. NEXT chapter is where Charlotte and Sawyer's story will really start to overlap...a lot, but we'll get to that later. Let's get through this one and finally find out who sushi guy is! And again, big shout out to Mr. Costello for the chapter titles. His songs are the story of Sawyer's life- legit. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The next morning Sawyer woke up in the scratchy sheets of someone else's bed. The morning light was shining through the window and left a burning heat on her skin. Her head felt heavy and her eyes were still puffy from the regret and crying she'd done yesterday. It hadn't been a very good day.

It hadn't been a very good day at all.

It had been a long time coming, though- a _very_ long time coming. Ben wanted kids and Sawyer didn't. For any couple that was more than a big issue- it was the unraveling of their future. You can't ride off into the sunset when you're aboard different trains. You can't get happily ever after when one party is content with happily _never_ after. Especially when it came to children. It just wasn't going to happen.

So there she was, lying silent and still amid the comforter that smelled like bar soap. Sawyer felt the guy next to her stir in his sleep, and she put her hands over her face wishing things could be easier. If anything, now they were even more complicated. Good thing or bad, Sawyer would have to wait and see.

Yesterday evening was now a blur. Sawyer remembered the fight she'd had with Ben, and she remembered Emmett at the bar. He'd had a bad day too. Bad day plus bad day equalled disaster. Two negatives would never turn into something positive.

Shifting her weight and rolling over, Sawyer took a deep breath. Did she reach out and wake him up. Did she say anything before she left? Did she just get up and leave? As her mind started to race, the body next to her moved a little and the blue-eyed thirty-one year old soon found his gaze.

He looked different than he had yesterday. The deep set wrinkle just above his left brow caught Sawyer's eye and she swallowed hard as he spoke.

"Hey."

Biting her lip and feeling the awkwardness, Sawyer swallowed hard. "Hey."

Memories of what exactly happened last night started to flood her mind, crashing like waves upon a rocky shore coating the ground with a hazy froth of foam and curiosity.

_"I take it you had a bad day?"_

_"You could say that." Sawyer nodded and could still feel the dampness that soaked through to her underwear._

_"Sorry to hear that." His voice sounded familiar and Sawyer turned to look at him. Emmett Fuller, the guy who worked at the hardware shop, was looking at her with kind eyes and a sweet smile. "Hey."_

_"Hey." Sawyer smiled back with an amused smile. "Kinda early to start drinking, huh?" She looked at his beer and arched her brow. She had her reasons, but what were his?_

_He nodded and looked to the little bubbles that were rising to the surface. "You could say I had a bad day, too."_

_Interested in hearing someone's problems other than her own, Sawyer turned to face him. "Work related or personal?"_

_"Both." Emmett ran a hand over his dark hair, "I quit my job today, hurt my dad's feelings, and made my mom cry."_

_"You don't want to run your dad's shop?" Guessing, Sawyer couldn't help but assume so._

_"Nope." He took a swig of his beer and then looked at Sawyer with a shrug. Turned out the hardware business wasn't for him. "Wanna get out of here?"_

_Sawyer looked around and then nodded. She could waste away the rest of the afternoon and not think about her broken heart or Ben. Emmett seemed nice enough. Why not?_

_They both got off their bar stools and started to head for the door. Sawyer knew it was a bad idea, but as she followed Emmett outside, she wasn't thinking about the ramifications, the aftermath, or who she might hurt. Right now she was concerned with herself. Big surprise._

"_My car's just over there." Emmett pointed to a small pick-up truck and took Sawyer's hand._

_Nearly recoiling at his calloused touch, Sawyer closed her eyes and knew she could forget about it in the morning. It was just for the night. Hell, she might not even stay over night. It wouldn't mean anything. Emmett was a quick fix._

_The rain was still coming down hard and swamped the parking lot with a muddy sludge. Each drop that hit her body tried to stop her, tried to keep her from doing something she might regret, but water wasn't going to make any decisions for Sawyer Scott. It could slow her pace and water her down, but that was about it. If Sawyer was going to do this, if she was going to go through with it, it was going to be on her. It would be her mistake. _

_The two thirty somethings got into Emmett's car and he grinned as he started the car. "It's really coming down, isn't it?" He laughed off the weather, but Sawyer's gaze was fixated on the mixed shades of gray that fell upon her hometown._

"_Yeah." She swallowed hard and nodded. "Where's your place?"_

"_Just a few blocks that way." Turning out of the parking lot, Emmett drove toward his home and turned on the radio._

_Sawyer couldn't even hear the music. She was toning it out and listening to her own thoughts as they crossed her mind._

"_So you never told me about your bad day?" Emmett pulled up to a red light and looked to the girl on his right. Sawyer was quietly staring out the window and was as silent as a Chaplin film. It was her expression and her blank stare; it was the way she aimlessly chewed on her thumb nail as the water rushed over the cool glass. Emmett quickly realized she needed to be somewhere else. Sawyer shouldn't have said yes to his proposition. He took a deep breath, "Where do I need to take you?"_

_Wiping a tear that had fallen from her eyes, Sawyer turned to him, "You know those apartments by Food Lion?" Her eyes started to well even more because the music lover hadn't meant to put Emmett in the middle of this. She knew better than to go home with him. Why had she said yes in the first place? Was it out of habit, out of anxiety, out of fear? Was it a safe bet and a warm bed? Whatever the reason, it wasn't strong enough for her to go through with it. Now that she was turning him down, Sawyer knew exactly where she needed to be, and her heart was in the same place. It was with Ben. It had always been with Ben._

_Emmett turned one street up at the light, and he gripped the steering wheel with a disappointed face._

_Sawyer swallowed hard and genuinely wanted to apologize for misleading him. "Sorry." She kept it quiet and simple._

"_Hey...I get it." Emmett wasn't exactly thrilled with the outcome. He had some steam he wanted to burn off but that would have to wait for later. He could go back to the bar and find someone else to take his mind off of things. Sawyer was probably the most beautiful option, but she was taken. Clearly. She'd been taken for seven years._

_They rode in silence for the next four minutes and then Emmett pulled into a familiar apartment complex. He asked her which building to drive up to and she told him. He dropped her off, and she hurried to the stairs with determination running through her veins. She had lost Ben once. It wasn't going to happen again. At least she hoped not._

_Tired from jogging up the stairs, wet from the rain, and emotionally wiped from everything she was feeling, Sawyer made it to his door and knocked. Her palms slapped the wood until they stung, and then he opened the door. Maneuvering herself in the doorframe so he couldn't shut it on her, Sawyer's eyes found his. They looked broken and sad, and she knew Ben was feeling the hurt she'd felt too. Things couldn't be over with them. They'd come too far to blow it again._

"_I can't keep doing this, Sawyer." His voice was quiet and it sent an ache through her bones._

"_I know." She stepped into his apartment and wiped the dampness away from her face. "But I couldn't do it."_

"_Do what?" He was confused and upset, running on fumes that were frighteningly close to empty._

_Feeling her eyes well again, Sawyer tried to blink away her emotion. She knew she had to tell the truth. "I went to Tric and started feeling sorry for myself. There was this guy who was having a bad day, too. And we left together."_

"_God dammit, Sawyer..." He turned away not wanting to hear the rest. It sounded all too familiar._

"_No wait..." She reached out for him and shook her head, "But I couldn't do it. I couldn't stomach the thought." Sawyer sighed and lifted her shoulders, "I know I'm a mess, but I love you, Ben. I always have." There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was it for her. If she was going to love one person for the rest of her life, it was going to be him. _

"_What about kids?"_

"_We'll figure it out." Swallowing hard for what felt like the millionth time, Sawyer caught a tear. "I...I'm not saying I want a baby now. That's definitely not what I'm saying, and I may not be ready in a year. I don't know, it might take me five years? I just... When it does happen. If it happens..."_

"_So you're saying you'll think about it?"_

_Slowing nodding, Sawyer stepped closer to the Coastie and grabbed both of his wrists. "I'm saying I love you and I want to be with you. And if somewhere between all that I...we decide it's what we want, then yeah."_

_Was he hearing her right? Was Sawyer actually considering this? It seemed like it, and Ben started to feel his heart pick up its pace as it beat beneath his skin This was the first conversation about babies where they had made any real progress-where they were coming to some kind of decision. Ben wasn't entirely certain if she wasn't just saying it to say it, though. "Are you sure?"_

"_No, but..." Sawyer raised her shoulders, "...eventually I will be." She wasn't ready for a snotty nosed kid now. She didn't even want to imagine a dirty diaper or baby gates. She didn't want to think that far ahead, but looking at the man in front of her, Sawyer nodded again. "Someday."_

_That was all he needed. That was all it took. Ben knew he'd have to work on not pressuring her because this wasn't some simple decision she was making. This was huge. This was ground-breaking. But even with all the seriousness of it, Ben found a smile. "So we might have a little Sawyer running around one day?"_

"_Ha." Sawyer laughed, "Don't hold your breath, Ben Trammell. If we have a girl, we're giving her back. I'm not dealing with a little me."_

_Laughing, Ben moved his hands around her waist. He looked right at her and nodded with an arched brow. "And you're sure about this?" Ben couldn't help but ask one more time. Hearing her say it made it all the more real._

_They'd have kids one day. Maybe just one, but even still, it would be enough._

_Sawyer took a deep breath and nodded, "I mean I don't want to pop them out like Charlotte and Graham but..." She started to smile and kissed him. "Yes."_

_The tall Coastie pulled Sawyer in to his chest and he held her close, making sure she knew he wasn't letting go. They'd been through so much. They'd been through enough. It was about time they figured things out._

_Finally._

_Sliding her cheek up Ben's chest and resting her chin on his shoulder, Sawyer smiled, "Can I have some dry clothes?"_

_He laughed and pulled her toward the bedroom. "Yeah, come here." Ben put his arm around Sawyer and walked down the hall with her._

When the bed shifted as he moved, Sawyer was taken away from her memory. Ben was still looking at her in a silent trance that was neither uncomfortable or strange; it was nice. His look didn't settle the thoughts that flew around her mind, though. They were moving a mile a minute. Everything felt right, but odd. And yet, she knew it was how things were supposed to be. But she still couldn't believe what she'd said yesterday. She'd said she wanted kids. Not today, or tomorrow, but one of these days. She'd come a long way- matured just enough to realize she'd been building up a false reality when it came to children. They weren't so bad. And Sawyer had a feeling that Ben's kids- their kids- might be more than bearable. She'd love them just as much as she loved him.

"So..." Ben took a deep breath and shifted his head against his pillow. "Are we okay?" They'd spent the most of the rest of last night talking about everything, really fleshing things out. If this was going to last, if _they_ were going to last, they both needed to be on the same page about everything.

"Yeah." As far as Sawyer was concerned, they were just fine. She and Ben were going to be alright. They'd probably argue about what they'd want for breakfast, but if that was the biggest of their worries, then they were gonna be okay.

As long as they stayed like that, as long as they openly communicated about things, then Sawyer and Ben would have a bright future.

Hopefully the coming events wouldn't dampen their progress.

**OTHOTH**

The spring winds blew swirls of yellow March pollen into the blue sky, and the waves of the brackish water lapped up against the shore in a musical rhythm only a music lover could identify. The sun was on its way down, splintering pastel shades of the sunset across the early evening above. Sawyer was leaning on the wooden rails of the Riverwalk that guarded the Cape, and she diligently kept her eyes on the coastal horizon. Ben was on his way home. That big boat was due to port any minute.

The blue-eyed Tennessean had been gone just over three weeks with the Diligence and its crew, and Sawyer could feel her stomach tie into knots of excitement as the idea of getting him back in her arms seeped into her mind. This was the exciting part of his job. This was the part she looked forward to most. Watching him stroll up the Riverwalk in her direction would have her heart racing without a doubt. It was already out of control just waiting for the dumb boat.

Sawyer felt more nervous about this reunion for some odd reason. She shouldn't have, though. They'd done this for what felt like a million times now. Him sailing off and then coming back was something they'd incorporated into their relationship since the beginning, but it felt different today. A good kind of different.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, Sawyer squinted toward the direction of the Atlantic and saw the boat she'd been waiting twenty-minutes for make its way to shore.

A little old lady who'd been sitting on a bench beneath the shade of a Water Street tree made her way to the water's edge next to Sawyer. Her old arthritic hands clutched the wooden railing, and she took a deep breath turning toward the younger woman. "It's the homecoming that makes the leaving worth it, isn't it?"

Politely nodded, Sawyer smiled. "Yes Ma'am. It is."

"And you get used to it...having him gone, but when they pull ashore..." The woman looked to the boat where her husband and Ben were and smiled. She'd been doing this for decades and each time her husband came home, the feeling only got better. "It's really something only the wives can describe, isn't it? Nobody knows how it feels except us."

Wanting to correct the older woman and explain that she wasn't a Coastie wife, Sawyer opened her mouth but didn't. "Yeah, you're right." Sawyer felt her heart start to pound under her skin as she looked to the Diligence.

"Yours is Trammell, right? Benjamin?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Sawyer never heard anyone call Ben by his whole first name, but it brought a smile to her face and she nodded.

Smiling because Captain Turner's wife felt a close bond with all her husband's sailors, the older woman nodded, "He's a good man that Coastie."

Grinning, Sawyer laughed with a jovial shrug, "Most of the time."

Mrs. Turner laughed softly and waved the boat in and started walking for the ramp, "Well you two enjoy your time together."

Smiling, Sawyer watched the older woman walk for the ramp and wondered how many years that lady had been doing this. Thirty, forty...more? However long it was, it was nice to see the excitement in captain Turner's wife's eyes. It was nice to know that even after all that time, they were still eager to see each other. They were still in love. That's where Sawyer wanted to be with Ben in thirty years. Sawyer wanted to be in the same place, with the same feeling waiting on the same guy. Waiting on Ben.

Her eyes ran over the water and settled on that Coast Guard cutter she knew so well. Sawyer spotted Ben and felt a jolt of happiness thrash through her system. What he did to her; how he made her feel...she would never understand it.

Docking took a few minutes but once the big ropes were all tied down, the Costies started filing off the boat one by one. Ben had his duffle bag slung over his shoulder, and he slowly walked down the ramp behind his buddies and then made his way down the wooden planks to his girlfriend. She was in the same spot she always was, and Ben dropped the bag by his feet when they were only a few feet away. That grainy webcam didn't do her justice out on the open sea and getting to see her in person was a totally different experience. Sawyer Scott was beautiful, and she was his.

That blue utility uniform he was sporting made Sawyer's cheeks heat, and she smiled at him while her feet walked his way. Their steps were soft and slow; timid to get too close, but eager to feel each other again.

Stopping just in front of her and turning his USCG ball cap around, Ben leaned in to kiss her. When their mouths met, her lips felt like fire and singed his mouth with a desire he'd been missing for twenty-two days. For the days they'd been apart, a kiss like that was what they needed.

"I love you." Sawyer kissed him one more time and put her hands on his sides.

He rested his hands around the small of her back and nodded against her cheek. "I love you, too."

With all the world around them, Sawyer and Ben found themselves in a moment where they felt isolated to the outside. Nothing mattered. Their gaze was silent yet drowning out the noise of the other river patrons. Ben pulled her closer and hugged her lanky frame with his strong arms.

Being so close to him made Sawyer's heart settle just a little bit. It was nice having him home. Each time they reunited like this she'd underestimated the degree to which she missed him- the degree to which she loved him, really. Leaning into his chest and watching the water run by, Sawyer looked up, "I was thinking about ordering pizza for dinner."

Ben thought about it, but they always did that. That was their go-to meal. His cheek was against her head and he could smell a mixture her shampoo and his bar soap. It was a mixture that he never wanted to forget. "What if we go out?"

If going out meant less dishes, then that was perfectly fine with her. Sawyer grinned with a nod, "Where do you want to go?"

He didn't really care. Ben moved away from his girlfriend and picked up his bag. "Let's just drive around and then we can pick."

"You pick. Not me." Sawyer shook her head and walked with Ben towards her car. "I wasn't the one who had to eat crappy food on a boat for the last three weeks."

He appreciated her thoughtfulness and nodded with a smile, "Alright..." Ben saw her car and thought she might be feeling _extra_ thoughtful. "...can I drive?"

Walking backwards to face him, Sawyer laughed and spun the key ring around her finger. "Nice try, Trammell."

He laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "I had to give it a shot." He watched her turn around and caught motion of her hips swinging as they made it back to her Volkswagen.

They walked to her car and Ben put his bag in the back. Sawyer hopped in the driver's side and Ben settled for the passenger seat.

"So where am I headed?" Sawyer backed out of the parking space and shifted gears. "Left or right?"

"Uh..." Ben pointed left and felt her drive in that direction. Downtown was littered with restaurants, and there were only a few they hadn't tried. Most of them were tourist traps, but some them were actually pretty decent. Coming up on an intersection, Ben eyed a new place they hadn't been to. "What about here?"

Glancing at the sign, Sawyer laughed and looked to Ben. "Sushi?"

"Yeah, why not?" He was pretty sure she liked it, and he could get one of those big sampler plates with the various rolls. And if that was bad, they probably had some version of fried rice. Everyone liked fried rice. He glanced from the window to Sawyer, "If it sucks, we can always go to New York Pizza."

"Or K-thirty-eight."

Ben grinned because her love of Mexican food never seemed to falter. "Or K-thirty-eight."

Sawyer whipped into a parallel spot in front of the restaurant and turned the car off. She did always seem to have the best luck when it came to parking. Ben waited on the sidewalk for her to walk around and then they headed inside together. "Here goes nothing." She took his hand and walked into the new eatery.

While they ate their food, Sawyer filled Ben in on the happenings around Tree Hill while he was gone. Other than a handful of birthdays, the sleepy town on the Cape was pretty inactive. The tourists were starting to flood the city on the weekends and it would only be a matter of time before the summer crowds came around. Ben asked about things at work, and Sawyer told him about the terrible open mic night from last week, and somehow when she started talking about her job, she remembered they had somewhere to be tomorrow night.

"Oh and that reminds me."

Fumbling with his chop-sticks, Ben laughed at his inability to grab his California roll. "Huh?"

"Nathan's last game of the season is tomorrow night and we're supposed to go. He's getting a big coaching award or something." Her uncle had coached for the UNCW Seahawks for the last twenty years, and if they beat Charleston Southern tomorrow night, he'd gain his four hundred and fiftieth win. It was quite the accomplishment.

"Oh, alright." Ben loved baseball, but he didn't mind basketball. He pinched his sushi together, but hung his head in defeat when it fell back on his plate. "I suck at this."

Nodding, Sawyer used her chopsticks to pick up his food. "You do suck at this." She laughed and held out the California roll watching him take it.

They continued to laughed about his poor chopstick skills for a while, and after they were done, the two of them left the restaurant and headed home.

"Your place or mine?" Sawyer knew he'd want to put his bag up at some point, but she also knew their dog was at her house.

"Yours." Ben didn't have to think twice about it. Not only was her place bigger, but Trout would be waiting on him.

The short drive to Sawyer's house didn't take long and Ben was reunited with their happy golden retriever in no time. Trout nearly went crazy when he saw Ben, and Sawyer could relate. There was a mutual happiness that spread over the house now that he was back. Trout felt it, Sawyer felt it. Everyone could feel it.

After playing with Trout for a while, Ben took a shower to rinse the sea grime off his body and walked into the living room where he found Sawyer asleep on the couch. He sat down next to her and watched her chest slowly rise and fall. A minute or so passed and Ben gently rubbed on her closest calf. "Sawyer..."

Taking a sharp breath in and furrowing her brow, Sawyer yawned, "I'm awake."

"Mmm-huh..." Ben laughed, "And pigs can fly."

Smiling, Sawyer yawned and nodded, "One day they just _might_." She noticed that he was clad in an old pair of USGE sweatpants and his broad chest was hard not to stare at. She slowly sat up and sighed hearing the soft music that was playing through the room. Sawyer found herself smiling because she knew the old Joe Cocker tune was in one of his favorite movies and the saxophone sounded sexy. "What time is it?" She was expecting it to be late.

"Just after nine."

"What?" She laughed at herself for falling asleep so early. "Ugh, I feel old."

"It's that couch. It'll get you every time." He'd fallen victim to the couch numerous times, and Ben smiled and shook his head. "It was a busy day, though. I'm tired too."

It had been a busy day. Not only had she been super busy with work, she'd even attempted to clean up her house a little before he got back. Put that on top of the emotional excitement and the blonde really did have a busy day. Sawyer got up off the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. "Will you hate me if I go to bed?" She winced a little because she knew he was probably expecting some late night extracurriculars but she was exhausted.

His blue eyes met hers and he shook his head. "No." He looked to the laundry room with a grin, "I'll make do." Ben kissed the side of her head as she walked by and laughed. "My clothes aren't going to wash themselves anyway."

"No they won't." Sawyer smiled because that was the truth. She hated laundry, especially in her younger college days. Not that she particularly enjoyed it now, but back then she legitimately hoped that clothes might somehow find their own way to get clean, but it never happened. She'd ended up paying people to take her clothes to the laundry-mat.

Sawyer walked by Ben and headed into the bedroom while he followed her until he split away into the laundry room.

It didn't take Sawyer long to fall asleep in the comfort of her own bed, and after putting the second of two loads in the dryer, Ben made his way to her side. The lights were still on and Ben laughed at the sleeping woman. She was a little cattywampus on the bed and apparently it didn't seem like she wanted to share. Too bad for her though, Ben was gonna find a way to fit.

He slipped under the covers and slowly pushed Sawyer to her side of the bed. She moaned because she was perfectly content how she was, but Ben just laughed. "You're taking up the _whole_ bed, OJ."

Rolling over, Sawyer leaned her face into her pillow and took a deep breath. She opened one of her eyes, "I bet you have more room in here than on the little bunk in the boat, though." Her eyebrow arched and her laugh was muffled by the pillow she'd leaned into. Every time she imagined her six foot something Coastie in one of those tiny bunks she laughed.

He nodded and started to grin, "But that's a _one_ person bed." Ben leaned over her body and smirked, "That's _very_ different."

"Oh, it is?" Sawyer wasn't feeling so tired anymore and smiled. They could flirt like this all night long.

"Mmm-huh." He leaned closer and let his lips graze hers.

She moved up to kiss him but was sorrily disappointed when he moved away.

Ben reached over to the bedside table turning the lamp off while darkness enveloped the room. Ben's eyes adjusted quickly and he moved back over Sawyer. "Are you still tired?"

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head and skimmed her hands down his sides. "What do you think?"

Acting as though he really had to think about it, Ben leaned down to kiss her once and then he kissed her again. "I think..." He moved from her lips and kissed the spot just above her eye.

Sawyer wasn't entirely concerned with what he thought. Right now her mind was traveling south. "Flintstones or Angry Birds?" She kissed him and started to push his sweatpants down curious as to what cartoon characters graced his boxers. The darkness wouldn't give her too much to go off of, but she knew he'd be wearing something cute. He always did.

Ben laughed and shook his head. "Neither." He helped her get her pajama bottoms off and he smiled as he tossed them to the floor.

"Tabasco?" Sawyer knew he had a black pair with the little hot sauces all over them. Maybe he was wearing those?

"Nope." He pushed the comforter out of their way and laughed. "I think you're more interested in the pattern on my boxers than..." He moved away from her and got off the bed.

"Ben!" Where was he going? She leaned up and shook her head, "No, I'm not." Sawyer was quick to dismiss his thoughts and watched him disappear behind the bathroom door. "Ben!"

Standing with his back against the door, the Coastie could only laugh. Sawyer sounded so confused and it was hysterical. He tried not to laugh too loud and waited another minute. It was about as long as he could wait.

Sawyer was on to his scheme, though and she could play games, too. She quickly hopped out of bed and quietly hurried out of the bedroom. She wanted to hide but didn't know where. The faint scent of laundry detergent steered her to the laundry room and she shut the door.

Ben took off his sweatpants and thought he might show off his boxers as he walked out of the bathroom, but when he walked out of the door, Sawyer was missing. "Sawyer?" He looked around and saw Trout lying on the floor. "Where'd she go?" He checked the bed and then the closet, but Sawyer wasn't there.

The floor creaked as he started to walk down the hallway wondering where his girlfriend ran off to. She had to be close, he just didn't know where. The house wasn't that big. He'd find her.

Sawyer could hear Ben getting close and she waited for him to walk passed the door before making her next move.

"Come out come out wherever you are..." Ben made it down the hallway and looked into the kitchen and the living room. He grinned and wondered how long they could keep this up. "Sawyer...?" There wasn't a response so he walked over to the stereo and turned up the volume.

Oh he better not. Sawyer's eyes got wide. Was he really going to bust her speakers? "Ben Trammell...if you bust my speakers you're in _big_ trouble!" Bolting from the laundry room, Sawyer quickly hurried to the other bedroom on the bottom floor and ran into what used to be Charlotte's room.

Ben caught a glimpse of Sawyer and ran after her. He knew his strategy would work. "I saw you!" She disappeared for second and when Ben got to the room, he figured she must have been in the bathroom.

Sawyer peeked through the slits of the closet door and watched him approach the bathroom. There was a stutter in his step and a hesitation in his hand as he reached for the door. He hated that little room, and he always would.

Swallowing hard, Ben knew as soon as he opened the door it didn't matter if he found her; he'd only picture what he'd stumbled upon over three years ago. That hurricane and her wrath would forever travel with him. The image of Sawyer pale and deathly wasn't something he would ever shake, and that damn bathroom was a constant reminder of what had happened. It was a threshold he didn't want to cross and didn't want to relive. Closing his eyes, Ben turned the knob but something stopped him.

"Hey." Sawyer walked up behind Ben and slowly moved her hands across his stomach and stood right against his back.. "You don't have to go in there." She kissed the middle of his back, "I'm right here." The game was over as soon as he saw the stress in his body language. She knew he'd been plagued by that room.

Glad to feel her behind him, he leaned into her and sighed. Ben turned around to face Sawyer and swallowed hard. "I don't know why I still hate going in there. It's been three years."

Some people responded to traumatic experiences differently. Sawyer couldn't relate to what he was feeling, but she could try to help. Sawyer moved away from him and opened up the door. She hit the lights and looked at the remodeled room. It was different than it had been back then, and she knew she could get him over that anxiety of his. "Look...here..." Sawyer pulled him inside the little bathroom. Ben tensed up a little but she soothingly wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay."

Feeling a pressure building in his chest, Ben looked around and knew it was all in his head. He felt Sawyer move her hands up and down the back of his neck.

She gently kissed the side of his mouth, "You're fine. I'm fine..."

Ben looked down at her arm and saw the scar that ran down her skin. She hadn't been fine then. He brought it up to his mouth and pressed his cheek against Sawyer's arm before he kissed it. "I love you." Ben held her arm close to his mouth and let it linger there for a minute.

Nodding, Sawyer let out a silent 'I love you, too' and kissed him. She felt the same way he did and kissed him for the millionth time and let her hands run down his back as their lips locked with a fiery disposition.

They'd been in that bathroom long enough and Ben started to move out of the door pulling Sawyer with him. He slowly pushed them both towards the bed until her calves hit frame. She laid down and smiled when she finally noticed his boxers- Popeye the Sailorman. He always did have good taste, and a cute butt, too.

But it was more than just that with Ben. Aside from his cartoony boxers, Ben Trammell was a genuine guy with a heart of gold. He may have acted like a twelve year old from time to time, but it worked. It worked for his personality and it worked for Sawyer.

**OTHOTH**

The morning after Ben got back from sea, Sawyer woke up in the downstairs guest bedroom alone. He'd put a note on his empty spot in the bed and she read it out loud when she found it. _Took Trout to the park. You'll probably be at work when we get back. See you tonight._ She rolled over and managed to get out of bed and walked to her bedroom to throw on some clothes, but before she even made it to the door Sawyer felt her stomach flip...and not in a good way. It was as if she got up and nausea set in. Feeling sick, Sawyer didn't even worry about grabbing clothes, she just needed to get to the bathroom ASAP.

Thankfully she did.

Twenty minutes later, multiple flushes, a good rise of mouthwash, and Sawyer walked out of the bathroom looking pale and sickly.

"Fucking sushi..." She laid down on her bed and took a few deep breaths. It was one thing to get sick because you had a little too much fun and too much to drink, but it was another when it came to food poisoning. That was flat out nasty and not by choice.

A clammy sweat started to prickle Sawyer's skin and she knew a shower would help. A shower and a Coca-Cola should do the trick. As much as she'd like to skip out on work, she had too much stuff to get done to call in sick. Sawyer could manage; she was tough. Hopefully it wouldn't last long.

The steam and comfort the hot water provided seemed to help a little, and after she got dressed, Sawyer got in her car and headed for Tric. On her way to work, Sawyer pulled out her phone and wondered if Ben was blowing chunks in the park with Trout. Hopefully not, but she figured he must have been sick if she was. She put the phone up to her ear and waited for him to answer.

"Hey."

"Ugh...are you sick too?" She rested her hand on her queasy stomach.

Ben furrowed his brow and thew the tennis ball for Trout. "Huh?"

"Do you not feel terrible? I think I ate bad sushi last night?"

"What? You did? Are you sick?"

Nodding, Sawyer closed her eyes at the red light. "Yes...and it sucks." She rested leaned her elbow on the side of the door and her head against her hand. "But you're fine?"

"Yeah."

"Ugh..._of course_ I'm the _only_ one sick." She grunted and shifted gears as the light changed. "I swear..."

"You want me to get you something? I can be back at your house soon."

Smiling because he was sweet, Sawyer shook her head, "No...I'm on my way to work. Figured I could man-up and deal with it. Thanks, though."

"Alright...well, if you start feeling bad go home. I'm sure your mom will understand."

"But demos won't sort by themselves."

There she was being all stubborn like always. Ben laughed and watched Trout prance up to him with the ball. "Call me if you need something. I'll be around. I'm gonna go to the base after while, but..."

"I will." Sawyer saw that her mom was trying to call her and she sighed. "Hey that's Mom on the other line. Let me get that. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

"Bye." Sawyer answered the phone and listened to her mom ask her to run some errands before she headed to the office. They needed some stamps, Post-its, blank CDs, and Sawyer could use some Pepto-Bismol.

That was fine, but to add to her already unpleasant morning, those errands that were supposed to take about half an hour ended up taking her over two hours. Turned out the first three stores she went to were out of stamps, and then Sawyer could only find blank DVDs. After arguing with a sales clerk and giving more than a handful of retail employees the evil eye, Sawyer finally found herself at a CVS hoping the might at least have some Pepto. Her disastrous morning was not settling her stomach like she'd hoped.

Marching down the medicine aisle, Sawyer grabbed a pink bottle, a pack of Pepto chewables, and then wondered if the electronics sections would have CDs. She was a woman on a mission, and when she saw the packs of blank CDs on the shelf, she all but cheered. Now with an armful of medicine and blank CDs, Sawyer pilled on some Post-its, and then managed to carry everything to the check-out counter without dropping anything.

An older gentlemen with glasses and bushy eyebrows politely greeted her with a smile. "Morning."

"Do you happen to carry stamps?" It was a long shot but Sawyer had to ask.

"As a matter of fact..." The older man pointed to a machine by the Kodak stand. "That one over there sells stamps."

Completely in love with this store, Sawyer happily smiled. "Thank God!"

Laughing quietly at Sawyer's enthusiasm, check-out guy Roger smiled, "And if you're interested you can get a CVS card. It'll save you at every purchase."

Sawyer was not interested in opening a CVS account, she just wanted stamps. "Uh...maybe later." It was so annoying when people asked that, but Sawyer knew it was their job. She hurried over to the stamp machine and quickly got as many as her mom wanted.

Roger had everything neatly bagged and Sawyer grabbed a roll of Certs to mask the grotty taste in her mouth from earlier. She paid, and quickly headed out of the store to Tric. This time nothing got in her way and she had everything she needed.

Digging through one of the bags as she drove towards the old warehouse, Sawyer used her teeth to tear open the package of Pepto chewables. They tasted like chalk, and when she was at a red light, Sawyer chased them with a shot of liquid Pepto. It wasn't a pleasant combination but hopefully that would hold her over. Looking at her reflection in the mirror and holding out her tongue, Sawyer made a face but knew the bad taste would be worth it. "Suck that, sushi." The light turned and Sawyer sped off towards Tric feeling much better. A constant concoction of various types of Peptos throughout the day and her stomach issues should dissolve.

It was nearly eleven in the morning when Sawyer finally sat down at her desk. Over the next little while, she sorted, arranged, and listened to more demos than she could count. Some were good, others were bad- really bad. Lunch was good though. At least the beginning of it. Sawyer met Keith at Dock's where she opted to eat very little while Keith chowed down on a shrimp po-boy. The main topic of conversation was a no brainer. Keith and Bridget's seven month old son was too cute not to bring up, and Sawyer loved watching Keith talk about him.

"But what's going on with you? Are you okay? You seem...different?" Keith wiped his mouth and looked at his sister with a raised brow.

"Me? I'm fine. I had some bad sushi last night, but I'm toughing it out." Sawyer looked to her barely touched club sandwich. "I probably won't eat all of this, if you want half to take back to the garage you can."

Reaching over to steal one of her fries, Keith nodded, "I might just do that."

Pointing at him, Sawyer cut her eyes, "Hey, watch it. I didn't say _anything_ about those."

Laughing, Keith held up his hands and nodded. "Alright, sorry." His phone started to ring and he knew who was calling. The younger Scott got up and apologized, "I gotta go. Someone needs a tow."

Smiling, as she sipped her drink, Sawyer shoed him away. "Duty calls..."

"But I'll see you tonight at Uncle Nathan's thing, right?" Keith tossed a twenty on the table and knew it would cover most of lunch.

"Yeah, we'll be there." Sawyer nodded and watched her little brother walk away. She made sure the check was settled and then headed to back to work. She grabbed the Red Bedroom mail and walked up the stairs to one of her favorite places in the world. Sawyer was able to put the mail down and then it hit her again-the nausea. This time it wasn't as intense as it had been this morning, but Sawyer had to hurry to make it to the bathrooms.

And thank God it was the middle of the afternoon. One, it was gross enough being in bathroom that people had probably had sex in, but it was another thing getting sick in it. And two, throwing up with other people around was just as terrible. Sawyer was just glad no one was around to hear her. Luckily the heavy drinkers and bar patrons hadn't showed up early.

Once her stomach stopped acting up, she walked to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. Sawyer's bags under her eyes were getting darker by the minute and she was seriously considering suing that damn sushi place. What kind of place serves terrible food?

As Sawyer gathered herself in the bathroom, Peyton and Haley walked into the studio. They'd had lunch and now the two old friends were hanging around the studio to kill time until the big game that night. Haley had just gotten off the phone with Brooke and watched Peyton searching the shelves by Sawyer's desk.

Peyton had been sitting on the floor looking for something on the bottom shelf and sighed, "I don't know where she put it, and I don't know where she went." Rolling her eyes, Peyton started to get up and laughed at herself, "Help an old lady get up, would ya?"

Haley spun the chair around and laughed at Peyton. She got up and walked over to her friend, "If you were Sawyer, where would have have put the mail?"

Giving Haley a smirk, Peyton used Haley's hand to get up and looked at her friend, "Have you met my daughter? " She laughed and shrugged, "Anywhere. She probably stuck it in some tiny little hole."

The clomp of boots echoed off the hardwood and Haley saw her niece walk toward the two older women. She was about to ask about the mail, but Sawyer's pale face changed her mind. "You okay?"

Sawyer sat down at her desk and rested her head on the paperwork in front of her, "Ugh, just F.Y.I. That new sushi place sucks. We tried it last night and I'm _never_ going back."

Haley looked at Peyton and then looked back to Sawyer. Was the younger blonde really complaining about sushi or was it something else? For some reason Haley wasn't so sure it was bad sushi. Call it a hunch or intuition, but Haley found the whole thing curious.

Peyton walked toward Sawyer and smacked her hand against her forehead testing her daughter's temperature, "Where's the mail?" It wasn't that Peyton was being unsympathetic, but she'd never really liked sushi. Why Sawyer and her boyfriend would go there was beyond her.

The thirty-two year old swatted her mom's hand away from her face "I'm fine. I'm fine." She didn't want to be babied, but Sawyer wasn't a mom, she didn't understand that it's just what moms did. They had to make sure their kids were okay. "Here. It was right here." Holding out the mail, Sawyer handed her mom the envelops and suddenly felt another hand on her forehead, "Aunt Haley! I'm fine."

Haley couldn't help it. "Just making sure." If it had been Charlotte or Jamie, she would have done the same thing.

"I'm fine. Really." Sawyer took a deep breath and wasn't so sure, but she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. "It's just a little food poisoning. I can handle it."

Peyton looked at her oldest with a strange brow, "Why are you here? If you had told me about this earlier, I would have told you not to come in today."

Laying her head down on her desk. "Exactly. I knew you'd say that. We have too much to do." Joel was working with a songwriter in Nashville, and Sawyer was expecting an email later that day.

"No we don't...go home." Peyton laughed at Sawyer and pointed at the door. "Out. Go home."

Cracking a smile, Sawyer looked up. "Are you seriously kicking me out?"

"Yep... Go home, Kid. Sleep it off." Peyton was serious. If Sawyer was sick she didn't need to be at work.

Haley nodded, "And don't worry about coming tonight if you feel bad."

Sawyer laughed and stood up as she grabbed her purse. "I'll be fine, and I'll be there. We'll be there." She slid her keys off of her desk and walked by the two older women. "I'll see you later." Peyton and Haley said goodbye to the younger blonde, and Sawyer made her way to parking lot.

Cranking the car, Sawyer took slow breaths and thought she might get sick again but didn't. She drove away and hoped the fresh air that swirled around her would help.

It didn't. And in fact, things only got worse. It wasn't her stomach, it was something else. On her way home, Sawyer came up on traffic and and it was while she was waiting for the carpool lane of the nearby elementary school to clear out that she put the pieces together. As moms with strollers walked down the sidewalk to meet their children, Sawyer's mouth went dry. She looked down to her ailing stomach and her eyes got wide. "Shit."

Her problem wasn't related to sushi. Not at all.

"Shit, shit, shit..." She couldn't say it enough and Sawyer eyed her mirrors because she had to get out of the standstill line of traffic. "Oh God..." Smashing the hazard button, the blonde swallowed hard and knew that CVS she'd gone to was just around the corner.

Maneuvering around traffic amid horns and not so nice glares, Sawyer was mumbling apologies under her breath as she raced over to the pharmacy. Luckily she got out of traffic unscathed and screeched to a halt in the CVS parking lot.

Bursting through the door, Sawyer ran down the aisles looking for something in particular, and when she saw the variety of boxes, she didn't know which one to get. Were not all pregnancy tests the same?

She grabbed one of each brand and didn't even care how much it would cost her.

Roger was still behind the counter and smiled at the blonde. "Back so soon?"

Spilling the boxes all over the counter, Sawyer looked shocked and dazed. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she just wanted to get home.

The older gentlemen couldn't help but notice the amount of merchandise the younger lady was planning on getting. "Now are you sure you don't want a CVS card? It'll save you a bundle on all..."

"No! I just... Will you...check me out." Sawyer wasn't trying to be rude but her stress was registering off the charts right now. "I'm sorry I..."

Seeing the look of sheer panic on the young thirty-something's face, Roger nodded, "It'll just be a second."

And it was. Sawyer was in and out of the store pretty quickly and sped all the way home. She ran straight back to the bedroom and dumped all of the pregnancy tests on the bathroom floor. She'd probably gotten a dozen, and a dozen she would take.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God... Please..." She had to be wrong. This new realization was wrong, right? Her period wasn't late and weren't she and Ben always careful? Unalbe to really answer her own questions, Sawyer wasn't sure about her period but knew she and Ben were always extra safe. She was the last person who wanted an unplanned pregnant.

And then another realization hit her. The week before Ben left for patrol, she hadn't been on her birth control. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit..." With a whirlwind of things going on her life, she'd forgotten to pick up her re-fills after she'd run out. "Oh...my god..." This couldn't be happening.

But it was.

Sawyer shook her head as she skimmed the directions and tore open the first box. This wasn't supposed to happen now. Nervous tears started to form along her lids and Sawyer sat down on the toilet. She wasn't ready to know, and she didn't even have to pee. Covering her face with her hands, Sawyer quietly cried for what seemed like forever.

If she saw two pink lines she'd hate herself. She was't thrilled with the idea of being pregnant, it scared her to death actually, but she'd been terrible lately. Sawyer Scott did not live a life fit for a pregnant woman and felt worse when she thought about the things she'd done recently. Wasn't sushi bad for pregnant people? Wasn't alcohol? She'd certainly had her fair share of drinks over the last month. At least she'd stopped smoking, but still... Convinced she was already on a path to motherly failure, Sawyer snapped the top off the first test and took a deep breath. "Please, please, please..."

The next two hours felt like days, and Sawyer had been alone with the test results until someone else got home.

Ben opened up the front door and watched Trout eagerly find a place to lay down. Tossing his keys by the door, the Coastie looked around the empty living room and kitchen, "Sawyer...?" He knew she was home because her car was out front. Ben made his way to the bedroom, and he saw the bathroom door closed. "Sawyer? Are you okay?"

His voice made things real and Sawyer looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hands were clutching the counter of the sink and she took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Just give me a second." She wiped her cheeks and fanned her face.

Ben walked closer to the door and furrowed his brow. She didn't sound fine. Was she still sick from the sushi? He put his hand against the cool door knob and started to twist, "Tell me what you need."

It was too late to try and keep him out, and Sawyer watched him walk through the door. When she saw him and their eyes locked, she could only fight back tears.

He could see it in her expression that something was off. "What's wrong?"

Feeling her lip start to quiver, Sawyer shook her head and grabbed one of the boxes on the counter, "It wasn't the sushi." She nervously laughed and watched him look to the floor covered with pregnancy tests.

"What?" Ben felt his own nerves start to run rampant, and his pulse elevated to a level he didn't think existed. He picked up one of the tests to make sure he wasn't seeing things. His voice left his throat, leaving him speechless.

Sawyer knew he was taking in all in, and saying it out loud might help it sink in. "I'm pregnant."

Not able to hide his sweet grin, Ben nodded. He laughed and felt the emotion build up in his chest, "Are you sure?"

"I took twelve of them and they all said the same thing." She bit her lip and started to smile as she looked to the positive tests around them. Torn between happy and sad emotions, Sawyer was an absolute wreck. Her hormones were all over the place, too.

Tears started to fall and Ben moved to comfort her. Stepping closer, Ben hugged Sawyer and knew she was scared. He was scared too. "Hey...It''s gonna be okay."

To be perfectly honest, Sawyer knew that. It wasn't the baby part she was most upset with. It was something far less trivial. She started to cry a little harder into his chest as the realization started to settle on her mind.

"I'm scared too." Ben rubbed her back and kissed the side of her head hoping he could make her feel better.

Wiping her cheeks, Sawyer shrugged, "It's not even that." Her breath hitched and she felt her emotion build. "I mean I know we weren't expecting this and..." She took a deep breath and sighed. "I know we're not ready but..." The music lover sniffed as a line of snot started to fall from her nose. "I just..." She looked outside and shook her head. "I have to get a new car." It wasn't her only worry, but it certainly was one of them. "I mean I can't put a car seat in there."

Feeling Sawyer lean into him, Ben laughed and looked outside to her sea-blue convertible. "Is that what your worried about?" He smiled and dug his cheek into the side of her head. "Sawyer...it's okay. It's _just_ a car."

"And what happens when you leave on patrol. I'm alone...with a baby? I can barely take care of myself. I mean...I suck at cooking, and I'm not even all that nice."

Trying not to laugh, Ben continued to hold her close. She could have her moment, she might need it. This was big news. This was very big news.

"And I'm _pretty_ sure it happened right before you left for your patrol. When you were gone, I went to K-thirty-eight like six times and had margaritas, so that means I drank while I was pregnant and then last night we had sushi, and I checked...that's not good." Sawyer knew she'd already broken multiple cardinal rules of pregnancy and just kept rambling.

Ben held her chose and shook his head, "But you didn't know. I'm sure everything's fine."

"What if it's not?" Feeling her chin quiver, Sawyer wasn't sure. "I'm already a bad mom."

"No you're not." Ben stepped away from Sawyer and looked right into her blue eyes. "Don't say that. You won't be." His hands settled on her hips and he shook his head. He leaned in to kiss her soft and sweetly, "You're not."

She hoped not. Sawyer _certainly_ hoped not, but something told her it wasn't going to come easy. Nothing about her life had been easy thus far. Ben for instance- finding and staying with him had to be one of the most complicated things she'd ever gone through- continued to go through, and now they were having a baby. It wasn't just the two of them anymore. Now they had a family to think about.

But it was funny really. Life worked in mysterious ways sometimes. Accidents could turn into life's little miracles or life's biggest regrets. They could make or break you and this pregnancy was going to be one or the other. It would take some time before Sawyer and Ben knew which one they had on their hands, but even then, even after they found that out, accidents weren't going away. This was Tree Hill after all.

And the small little town between the Cape and the coast was prone to them.

**OTHOTH**

**Well, well...Ben's sushi guy. He always was. Was is really that big of mystery? I mean...I tried to keep it under wraps but never in a million years did I ever think or plan for it to be someone else other than Ben. But with the good news, that doesn't mean the rest of the story will be sunshine and rainbows, though. It won't be at all. In fact, there's more drama to come- lots of it. **

**My reviewers: Same as always, but you guys know you drive me to continue, and I can't thank you enough for the support!**

**Lala: Since it didn't end up being Emmett, I'm hoping you enjoyed the chapter! I think most (hopefulyl all) of my Sawyer and Ben fans will be happy. At least for now.**

**Anon: Yeah, they broke up...only to get back together. But you're right, 2 did not represent their second chance. That's still to come. **

**Review Please!**


	20. What Do I Do Now?

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 20: What Do I Do Now?**

**Disclaimer: I wonder what would happen if I lied and said all of the OTH characters were mine... Nah, I probably shouldn't do that.**

**A/N: Holy cow, has it really be three months since an update? Ugh...gosh, where did the time go? Soooo sorry about that. I'll aim for that to NEVER happen again. My bad... Normally I devote one chapter for each of my character's pregnancies but given the events that take place during Sawyer's, I am breaking it up into at least 2 of them. This chapter's first section (set in late March) will focus on Sawyer and Ben telling everyone about the pregnancy. It won't have EVERYONE, but the main players- certain character reactions I think y'all want to see at least. Brooke's reaction will be included as a flashback for next chapter. Don't think I left her out. The second section jumps to May and we catch up with Charlotte's story and get right into Graham's accident. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The life Sawyer Scott has envisioned for herself had changed in an instant. It changed in a single moment. It changed with one test- twelve pregnancy tests, actually. She was pregnant. Ben was her guy and they were having a baby.

It was surreal.

The early morning, March light was coming in from the kitchen window, and Sawyer was watching Trout prance around the backyard. He was adorably goofy; still tripping over his own feet as he checked the perimeter of the fence to make sure his territory was squirrel free. He'd always been the protective kind. Whether it be of the house, over Sawyer, or over Ben- that dog was as loyal as they come. He'd probably be protective over the baby, too.

In thinking about that, Sawyer caught herself glancing down at her stomach still in disbelief. She was pregnant. Even thinking about it was weird, but the sweet smile that started to curl over her lips was enough to prove to herself and to everyone else that she was ready. Maybe she wasn't really ready? Who was ever _really_ ready for a baby? But Sawyer had come to the point in her life where her priorities were changing. It hadn't and wasn't going to happen overnight, but that positive pregnancy test flipped her world upside down. She'd have to put aside her selfishness, her need for speed and that convertible she loved so much, her lack of compassion for others, and she'd have to start thinking about baby Trammell first and foremost.

Footsteps and strong arms wrapped around her torso and Sawyer felt Ben kiss the side of her head when he walked up behind her. His presence reminding her that she'd asked him to stay last night. Not that he would have gone back to his apartment after the news, but something about having him close made things easier- less scary somehow. She wasn't doing this alone. They were in it _together_.

Turning around, Sawyer took a heavy breath and looked into those deep eyes of Ben's. He was dressed in his utility blues ready for work. He never looked more handsome. Lieutenant Commander Trammell and now Baby Daddy. It didn't get much better than that, and Sawyer was sure she was about to blush. "Hey."

"You feeling okay?" Ben brushed his hand over her hair and kissed her hairline. He knew yesterday morning had been less than pleasant and he wanted to make sure Sawyer was alright before he headed to the base. Hopefully the morning sickness wouldn't wane.

"_Much_ better. Yesterday was _hell_." She eyed her stomach and looked to Ben with wide eyes. "If it's gonna be like that for the next...seven or however many months then we might have issues." Sawyer would beg and plea for a simple pregnancy.

He could only laugh at her attitude and play along, "You and the baby, or you and _me_?"

"Both!" Sawyer sighed as she continued to soak in this pregnancy thing. It wasn't going to be easy, but she sure hoped it wouldn't be too hard. She was just now coping with the initial news. Complications, difficulties, or anything of that nature and Sawyer would have a real bone to pick with her lady parts.

Ben's hands rested on the sides of her waist, and he smiled with a boyish grin. He was clearly the more optimistic of the two. "So, are you gonna tell your mom today?" He knew she'd be leaving for work in the next twenty minutes.

"Yeah." Sawyer nodded and shrugged her shoulders with a small laugh. Never in her life did she think she'd ever have to tell her mom she was pregnant.

"You want me to come with you?"

The way he asked was too sweet. Sawyer shook her head though. "No. I think if you're there, I'll get nervous."

Kinking his eyebrow up, Ben laughed as he flirted with her, "I make you nervous?"

Rolling her eyes and moving away from him, Sawyer walked over to the fridge. "No." That was a lie, but she went with it. "If you're there, Mom will wonder why you didn't bring us coffee like you do when you stop by, and then she'll start asking questions..."

Getting the idea, Ben nodded, "Okay. I'll let you handle that." He secured his hat on his head and started to walk to the front door. "Call me if you need anything." Kissing her on his way out, Ben let his lips linger on hers, "Bye."

"Bye." She watched him walk out the door and then looked around the empty house. Alone with her juice, Sawyer gathered her things, let Trout back in, and then was making her way to the office. When she got into her car she took a moment to admire the old leather, the stereo, and the convertible top. It was hard to imagine she'd have to part with her sweet ride at some point, but that day was not today. That day was in the future. Today Sawyer was concentrating on not throwing up, telling her mom she was pregnant, and getting some work done at Tric.

On her way to the office, Sawyer could already tell a difference in the new, pregnant version of herself. The wind rushed through her hair the same as it always did, but the music was a little less loud and she kept her middle finger to herself. The one idiot that pulled out in front of Sawyer on Princess Street only got a glare instead of her normal yell and hand signal. That familiar crunched gravel sound against her tires felt like old times though. Once she'd pulled into Tric's parking lot and turned down the music, she spotted her mom's beloved car. The Comet was already there and Sawyer clutched her steering wheel knowing what that meant- she had to face her mom inside.

Shaking her head and breathing deeply, Sawyer steadied her nerves, "Okay...just tell her." Sawyer's pep talk was supposed to encourage the conversation that would come up with Peyton, and she walked towards the old iron steps biting her lip. For whatever reason Sawyer felt nervous.

Across town but in the same position, Ben was sitting in his car with the phone up to his ear. He'd just pulled up to the base and should have gone inside already, but he was filled with so much excitement and pride he couldn't contain himself. While Sawyer was the one who was feeling the nerves, Ben was over the moon. The phone rang away in his ear and Ben hoped the other line would pick up. It was just past seven thirty in Tennessee, but Ben knew his dad would be awake. And when an older man's voice answered the phone, Ben smiled, "Hey, Dad."

Sitting down to read the paper with the company of his coffee cup, Russ leaned back in his chair, "Morning, son. What's got you calling so early? Have they got you leaving on the boat?"

"No..." Ben shook his head with a smile and watched his colleagues walk into work through the car windshield. "I uh..." He fumbled for a minute but found his words. "It's Sawyer, actually."

"Don't tell me you two have broken..."

"She's pregnant." Cutting off his dad before Russ could finish his question, Ben intervened with a happy smile.

It took a minute for the words his son were telling him to sink in. Pregnant. Sawyer was Pregnant? Really? Russ set his coffee down with a grin, "You're kiddin' me?" He'd always hoped for a grandchild one day.

"Nope." A sweet laugh escaped Ben's mouth. "She's pregnant. We found out yesterday." Sawyer had a doctors appointment tomorrow to confirm it, but they didn't need to hear the news from him. They already knew, and Ben could already tell. He'd been around Sawyer long enough to see that something was different. A good kind of different.

Raising one of his hands to his mouth, Russ shook his head. "Well I'll be. My goodness..."

"I know, it's pretty crazy, huh?"

"Gah-lee, Ben!" Russ was still in a state of shock, and his excitement was slowly coming to as it all sank in. "Congratulations!" The stunned veterinarian was at a loss for words.

Nodding with that same smile his father had, Ben took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you first."

Russ was still processing it all but laughed with excited enthusiasm. "Well, where's Sawyer? Can I talk to her?"

"She's at work. I'm about to go in, too, but I wanted to go ahead and talk to you." Ben couldn't wipe the smile off his face, "Call back tonight and you can talk to her then."

Looking at his watch, Russ knew Ben should be at work too. "Alright, I will. And hey, I'll let you go. I don't want you getting in trouble for showing up late."

Looking to the front door of the base, Ben laughed. "Okay. I'll talk to you later." He turned off the car and opened up the door to let the March air in.

Nodding, Russ closed his eyes as he let the news seep deep within his system. "I love you, Ben."

"Love you too, Dad."

Both of the Trammell men hung up the phone, and the older one looked at his coffee and sloshed it around in his cup with a smirk. "Man oh man." He couldn't quite believe it, but he knew it was gonna work out. From the very moment he'd met Sawyer Scott he knew she was gonna be the one for his son. They sure took the long road, but now Sawyer and Ben were having a baby. Russ was going to be a grandfather, and today..._this_ morning was undoubtedly one of the happiest days of his life.

Just as one grandparent got good news, Sawyer walked into the office and faced another- her mom.

Peyton raised her brows and smiled, "Feeling better today?"

There it was; a perfect opportunity to spit out the truth and go ahead and tell her mom it hadn't been the sushi, but that's not what came out of Sawyer's mouth. "Uh, yeah...I think so." She hesitantly laughed, "I'm never eating there again, so hopefully that'll be the end of that." Sawyer turned to sit down in her chair and was mad at herself for continuing on with the sushi excuse.

"Well it should be a fun day around here. That new band..." Peyton looked down at her calender, "Imperial Ruffins is gonna be here in about an hour. I was gonna set up the studio."

"Alright. I'll finish up what I left behind yesterday." Sawyer looked down to her desk and at the tasks that lingered from the previous day. There was an email from Joel about his tour she needed to respond to, equipment orders that were supposed to be shipped, and she needed to call Capitol Records back about a client the major label was about drop. Opting to do the phone duties first, Sawyer dialed the Capitol office in New York and was put on hold. As the rather unfortunate holding music started to play in her ear, Sawyer watched her mom get some paperwork from her desk before heading back into the studio. "Hey Mom..."

"Yeah?"

Swallowing hard, Sawyer knew this was it. "I, uh... Well, yesterday when I..."

"Thank you for holding, Mr. Flom's office?"

Damn. Just when she was about to say it, just when Sawyer was gonna tell her mom the news, the secretary picked up. "Yes, this is Sawyer Scott with Red Bedroom Records and I was calling about an artist we were gonna negotiate to pick up." Looking down at the paperwork, Sawyer glanced at the musician's name and back to her mom. Sawyer's conversation was going to have to wait. "Lucy Crumley"

Peyton listened to her oldest go on about the contract they were drawing up but wondered what it was Sawyer was wanting to say. Whatever it was, it obviously could wait.

The morning drifted into lunch, the band started recording, and every chance Sawyer got to talk with her mom became a missed opportunity. Each time Sawyer got up the nerve to tell Peyton she'd chicken out or something in the office would come up. If only she could have Ben's eagerness when it came to outing the big news. He was having a hard time keeping his mouth _shut_. If it were up to him, Ben would yell it from the tallest building, put an announcement in the paper, and roam around the Riverwalk with a sign on his chest that said _I'm gonna be a dad!_ He wanted _everyone_ to know, but he'd been good so far. He'd only called his dad. But that was about to change. He and Graham had just left work, headed to the bar, and it wouldn't take long until the cat was out of the bag.

As soon as the two Coasties sat down at the bar of Dock's, Ben ordered them both beers.

Graham laughed and watched the bartender get their beverages. "Well that was fast."

Ben nodded. He was celebrating. "It's a good day today..." He caught his beer as the bartender slid it to him and clinked his bottle with Graham's, "Real good."

Graham recognized that something was going on with his best friend. "So what's going on man? Are you getting promoted or something?"

Ben laughed and shook his head. "Well...I guess you could say that." Technically his rank in the Coast Guard was staying the same, but he'd be able to add dad to his list of titles pretty soon, and for Ben that was _huge_.

Graham was not understanding Ben and he furrowed his brow, "What? Just tell me, man."

Looking around as if he had classified information on the tip of his tongue, Ben leaned in close and whispered, "Sawyer's pregnant."

Graham didn't speak. His eyes only got wide and he started to shake his head. "Nah-uh."

"Yes-huh." Ben found himself smiling and his cheeks reddened with excitement. "That's why we missed Nathan's game last night. Sawyer thought she had food poisoning from that new sushi place but it _wasn't_ food poisoning. It was morning sickness. I mean..._who_ knew..._morning_ sickness isn't _only_ in the morning."

Graham laughed out loud because he knew all to well about morning sickness. Charlotte was currently pregnant with their third. He took a deep breath and patted Ben on the back, "Well congratulations man, that's great news."

"I know..." Ben nodded his head, "And you know what it means... Our kids are growing up together."

"Yeah, that's pretty cool." Graham nodded and pictured his kids with Sawyer and Ben's. They sure would be handful in the future. In idealizing the future, Graham couldn't help but wonder, "So...are you and Sawyer gonna get married?" They didn't even live together. How was everything going to work out?

"Pfft..." Ben shook his head. "I think I'm gonna be lucky with one kid. And anyways...I think if I ever asked she'd just look at me like I was an idiot. You know she is..." Ben tried to do his best Sawyer imitation. "She'll squint at me and put her hands on her hips and just shake her head."

"Maybe not." Graham laughed at Ben's spot-on impression but then shrugged, "The baby might change her perspective on a few things."

Ben wasn't convinced and shook his head again. "I don't think it would work, and I mean we're going pretty good like we are. I don't want to mess things up. One step at a time, you know. We might have skipped a couple steps, and are going out of order, but slow and steady wins the race, right?"

Considering Graham proposed after being with Charlotte just over a year, they had two kids and another on the way, slow wasn't exactly how Graham took things. "Whatever works, man."

"Hey, but think you can do me a favor? Don't tell Charlotte yet. I know Sawyer is gonna want to tell her, so can we keep this between us for now."

"Sure."

"Good, thanks. I think she's only told her mom so far."

Oh, but how wrong Ben was. Sawyer hadn't told anyone. She'd tried and failed miserably, and when she watched her mom's taillights drive away from Tric after work, she knew she should have done it. Something was keeping her from doing it though. Something was holding her back. And whatever it was, Sawyer needed to figure it out and get over it. So instead of driving straight home, she headed for a different home; one that might have the answers she was looking for.

Hopping in her car and headed towards a neighborhood near the elementary school, Sawyer contemplated her anxiety as she drove. Was she nervous her mom wouldn't approve? Was it about not living up to expectations? Was it because of Ben? Was it really just nerves? Sawyer didn't know, but she was gonna find out from someone who'd already had the conversation with their mom. She was gonna talk to Keith. He'd been through this all. He and Bridget already had a baby. Normally Sawyer was the older, wiser one, but in this scenario, she was a fish out of water. Her little brother would have some advice.

When she pulled into the driveway, Sawyer could see the little family of three through the windows. It didn't look like they were eating yet, so Sawyer didn't feel bad about dropping by unannounced. She gently knocked on the door and was greeted by her sister-in-law.

"Sawyer, hi." Bridget opened the door with a smile.

"Hey." Sawyer grinned and spotted her brother and nephew playing on the floor. "I figured I might come get my Kit fix."

"Yeah, sure. Do you want to stay for dinner? I made plenty."

"Oh no. I won't be here too long. Thanks, though." Sawyer politely declined and walked inside towards the Scott boys.

Keith heard his sister's voice, and rolled over to face her. "Well look who it is? It's Smelly Aunt Sawyer, Kit." The adorable baby boy was bouncing around in his Exersaucer.

"Ha. Ha." Sawyer cut her eyes and walked closer. "And your Daddy thinks he is just sooo funny." Sawyer smiled at the seven month old and picked him up out of his activity saucer. She held Kit close to her chest and smiled, "Hey, you."

"Don't get too close. You might scare him." Keith laughed and started to get up off the floor.

Bridget swatted at her husband with a dishrag as she walked to the kitchen, "You two are more immature than our son."

"_Yeah_, Keith. Cut it out." Sawyer teased even more and sat down looking to her nephew, "We're only kidding. That's what we do. We kid all the time." The little boy flashed his aunt a toothy grin and it nearly melted her heart. Kit was a cute kid, but this was the first time she'd been around him since she found out she was pregnant. It was a completely different experience now. Not only did she just think the world of the little fellow...her boobs hurt. Damn hormones.

"So what's going on with you? Mom drive you crazy at work?"

Sawyer shook her head. "No. I uh...it was a busy day." There she went again; avoiding the subject.

"Oh yeah. New music?"

"Yeah, a band came into record with us so we were in and out of the studio all day."

"Well that's good." Keith looked at his son and smiled, "Are you gonna run the family business one day, Kit? Sawyer will teach you the ropes."

"Nah..." Sawyer held out her nephew and let him stand up against her legs as she held on to his little hands. "I'm gonna be a big basketball player like you, Dad." Sawyer leaned closer and nodded, "Look how tall I already am." Keith had played college ball and his son might follow in his footsteps.

Keith sat back against the couch and smiled. "Maybe..." The young dad stuck his tongue out at his boy and nodded in a quiet whisper. "If he's anything like his mom he'll be...a little less agile when it comes to sports."

"Hey!" Bridget stuck her head out of the kitchen, "I heard that." She was holding a wooden spoon and pointed at Keith, "Just so you know I _almost_ made the volleyball team in junior high."

Holding out his hands with a laugh, Keith shrugged, "I stand corrected."

A timer dinged and Sawyer suddenly felt like she was imposing. "I guess that's my cue." She put Kit back in his Exersaucer and started walking to the door, "But hey, real fast... Will you take a look at my car. I think I've got a loose hose you can probably pop right back in."

Keith got up and nodded, "Yeah." He looked at his son and the hollered to his wife, "Bridge, I'll be right back."

Sawyer didn't' have loose pipes, but she did need to talk with her brother. Once they got outside she watched him go for the hood but stopped him. "Wait...hold on."

"Oh is it in the back?" He started to move towards the back of his sister's car.

"No. I uh...I just wanted to talk to you out here."

Narrowing his eyes, Keith looked concerned. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Well actually, I uh..." Sawyer shook off a nervous laugh and took a deep breath, "I just needed some advice."

"Alright...I'll do my best." Keith shifted his weight, trying to figure out what was going on.

Sawyer was quiet for a minute and then softly told her brother the news. "I'm pregnant."

Keith laughed and looked at his watch. April Fool's was less than a week away. "Okay, okay. I get it. A little early for a joke. What's really going on."

Sawyer really wanted to punch him in the chest and give him a titty-twister, but she didn't. "Keith! I'm pregnant! As in _for_ _real_." She looked to her stomach. "I'm not joking. There's a baby in there."

Suddenly the younger Scott got really quiet. He looked at his sister's stomach, back to Sawyer's face, and the his eyes landed on her stomach again.

"Well...say something." Sawyer was not a fan of her brother's silent stare.

Instead of saying anything Keith threw his arms around his older sister and pulled her in close for a hug. "Ha, holy cow, Sawyer. That's great." He sounded so much like their dad when he'd said that.

Letting out a breathy sigh of relief, Sawyer nodded. "And I tried to tell Mom today, but it wouldn't come out of my mouth. So tell me what to do. How do I tell Mom and Dad?"

Moving away from her, Keith held up his shoulders, "Just like you told me. Mom's gonna be thrilled. Dad, too. They both will be. Hell, _everyone_ will be."

Sawyer looked away and laughed, "I'm just...nervous." This news was way more nerve wracking than the times she had to explain herself about skipping school, why a pack of cigarettes ended up going through the wash, or even when she'd called from jail after being picked up for trespassing on a private beach access. All of those situations were far less frightening than this one.

"Don't be nervous, Sawyer."

"So I just tell them? Plain and simple?"

"Yeah. It's a lot easier than you think."

Sawyer laughed, "Says the guy who gave them their _first_ grandchild."

"And you'll give them their second..." He flashed her that trademark Scott smirk, "It's all gonna work out." He looked at his watch and nodded, "And if you head over there now, I bet you can catch them before dinner."

"Yeah, you're right." She looked in the direction of their parents' house and knew it wasn't far away.

"And...I mean..." Not wanting to cross any boundaries, the thirty year old couldn't help but ask, It's Ben's right?" Keith looked to Sawyer and furrowed his brow. Ben was the father of is soon to be niece or nephew, right?

Her mouth fell open and she punched him square in the shoulder. "I _can't_ believe you'd even ask me that!"

"Ow! I...I just wanted to make sure."

Walking straight towards the driver side of her car, Sawyer could only shake her head. "You're lucky I'm pregnant." Resting her hand on her belly, Sawyer shook her head. "I would knock you into next week."

"I know you would." Keith nodded with a laugh and watched his sister get into her car and drive away. He tucked his hands into his pockets and smiled with a shake of his head. Sawyer was pregnant. What a surprise. Keith could only smile and turned to walk inside and saw Bridget in the doorway with their son on her hip.

"Ready to eat?"

"Yeah." Keith nodded and walked towards the door, looking over his shoulder to watch Sawyer drive away.

That car destined for their parents house quickly disappeared from the horizon as it rolled to Lucas and Peyton's house. Sawyer was feeling a little more confident now. She wasn't so nervous, and her anxiety wasn't so bad. Telling Keith and getting that initial declaration out of the way was what Sawyer needed. When she pulled up to her parents' house, she saw both of her parents' cars, and walked up the front walkway with a little more spring in her step. She didn't knock. She didn't ring the doorbell. Sawyer just walked in like she still lived there. "Mom? Dad?"

"In here." Lucas' voice was first, and Sawyer followed it into the study. As usual he was typing away on his computer.

He looked up from his screen and smiled with that famous squint of his. "Hey."

"Hey." Sawyer returned the greeting and crossed her arms over her chest.

Pressing one last key, Lucas closed his laptop and crossed his arms just as Sawyer had done. "Looks like I'll have the book finished by the end of the week. I think we've got something good with this one."

That book he was so enthusiastic about wasn't just some book. It was her book. It was Sawyer's story. They'd been working on it together for the last year or so. "You know...I was thinking..." Sawyer walked over to her dad's shelves and eyed the trinkets he had lined up amid the books. "Maybe you should do an epilogue."

"Why's that?" Standing up, Lucas still had that squint painted on his face.

"I think there might be a little more to tell."

"Yeah?" He scratched his head and watched Sawyer pick up one of Keith's rec league, basketball trophies from forth grade.

Sawyer eyed the simple engraving and remembered how her mom and dad both cheered her little brother on with more pride and excitement than she'd ever known. Then Sawyer saw a picture of a younger version of herself- a high school Sawyer. She was wearing the Raven's cheerleading outfit and her parents were on both sides of her. It had been senior night back then, and you could see the joy in their eyes- the pure delight that encompassed them all. And as Sawyer reminisced, she was taken with how much her parents loved her and her brother. Then she thought about her child, the baby she would without a doubt, love as much as her parents loved her.

He watched Sawyer's gaze move away from the picture. "Let me guess. You're thinking about going back- putting in some flashbacks?"

Smiling and changing the subject, Sawyer shook her head, " I was just thinking how you and Mom were so good to me and Keith."

Shoving his hands in his pockets just like Keith had done earlier, Lucas slowly raised his shoulders, "We did the best we could."

Peyton walked into the study and smiled at her husband and daughter. She'd heard the last few exchanges between them. "For you two crazy kids. We did alright." Winking at Sawyer, Peyton laughed and walked over to Lucas putting both of her hands on one of his shoulders. She rested her chin on her hands and looked to her husband. "They made it through infancy and even graduated college." She turned her head to Sayer and smiled, "Now, I call _that_ a success." Her sarcasm and wit didn't falter with age.

Sawyer laughed and took a deep breath. She wasn't so sure she'd be quite as successful as a parent. "So... you know how yesterday I had that bad sushi?"

"Yeah, are you feeling better? You're mom said it was bad."

Sawyer loved her father's concern but shook her head, "It wasn't sushi."

"Really?" Peyton furrowed her brow, "Did you figure out what it was?"

"Mmm-huh." She glanced from her father to her mother and a smile started to creep across her lips. "I'm pregnant."

Lucas and Peyton both looked to each other wondering if they heard the same thing. Pregnant. Sawyer was pregnant? Their daughter who'd been so adamant that children were spawn of the devil and smelled like spoiled milk? No. It couldn't be.

"And before you say anything. Yes, Ben's the dad."

Peyton let out an excited laugh and covered her mouth. "Oh, Sawyer..." She slowly walked towards her oldest and hugged her. "I can't believe it."

"Me either." Sawyer laughed right along with her mom and felt her hormones getting the best of her. "It was a surprise."

Still in a state of shock, Lucas could only rub his forehead as he processed it. He let out that breathy laugh of his and squinted his eyes with sincerity. Sawyer was pregnant. His daughter was having a baby. "Wow."

Peyton held Sawyer close. "You've been trying to tell me all day, haven't you?"

"Yeah. I could never really figure out how to do it." Sawyer looked to her dad and she stepped away from Peyton to look at her father who'd always been the quiet, stoic type.

Smiling at her, Lucas' eyes warmed and he walked towards the two women he loved most. "This is great, Sawyer." His quiet laugh was accompanied by a huge smile. Lucas hugged his oldest, "I guess an epilogue _would_ be a good addition, huh?"

"Ugh, stop talking about the dumb book. Sawyer's having a baby!" Peyton couldn't contain her excitement and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "There's so much to do, so much to talk about. And Charlotte's pregnant! Oh, you've got to go see Brooke and Haley tomorrow. They'll lose their minds."

Nodding, Sawyer smiled. "I will. I just wanted to let you know first. Obviously Ben knows, and I told Keith, too. And actually...", she looked at her watch and widened her eyes. It was getting kind of late. "Ben's probably wondering where I am."

Taking a deep breath as her eyes settled on Sawyer, Peyton shook off her happy bewilderment, "Then get on home if that's where you need to be." Peyton all but shooed Sawyer towards the door. "I'll walk her to the car, Luke. You start planning for our second grandchild." Peyton's enthusiasm was up to a Brooke Davis level.

Sawyer just barely said goodbye to her dad and walked outside with her mom. Peyton had one arm wrapped around Sawyer's side, and the two Scott women had a silent conversation between the two of them as they walked to the car. It was strangely nice. Even though there were no words, Sawyer knew her mom was behind her one hundred percent. Her dad, too. He just wasn't bouncing off the walls like her mom.

When they stepped up to the car, Sawyer pointed to her mom's Comet with a shrug, "You had two kids and a kept your Comet. How am I gonna give this up?" Sawyer eyed her Karmann Ghia with a sigh.

Peyton smiled and looked to the tiny convertible built to seat two adults. "Don't worry about the car, kid. I'm sure between Keith and your dad, you'll be able to find a decent car that holds a carseat." And thinking about carseats, Peyton wondered if Sawyer knew when a carseat might come into the picture. "Do you know how far along you are?"

"I think about six weeks. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get his take, but I'm pretty sure I'm at six weeks now."

Quickly crunching some numbers, Peyton thought ahead. "A November baby."

"Yeah." Sawyer looked to her stomach and took a deep breath. "And Mom..." It was hard for Sawyer to ask for help, but she knew she'd need it over the next seven plus months. "...I'm gonna need you to show me what to do, what to eat...all that stuff."

Feeling very moved by Sawyer's admittance, Peyton found one of Sawyer's hands and leaned into her. "You know the last time you asked for my help, you were five years old? You needed help tying your shoes."

"Loop, swoop, and pull." Sawyer grinned and glanced down to her shoes. There were no laces, but she knew she'd learned from the best.

"That's right. Loop, swoop, and pull." Pregnancy wasn't going to quite so easy, but whatever help, advice, or assistance Peyton could offer her daughter, she'd be more than willing to give. Between her, Haley, Brooke, Charlotte, and just about everyone else in Sawyer's life, it looked like the first time mom was gonna be just fine. She had the whole world behind her and she had Ben. Whatever hardships Sawyer faced during this pregnancy would have to go up against Sawyer's arsenal of support.

And it would be a good thing she had so many people to help. Sawyer and Ben would have their hands full.

**OTHOTH**

The early May temperature was unseasonably warm for this time of year. The sun was taking advantage of its powerful rays and shone brightly down on Tree Hill leaving the air thick with heat. Battling back with her convertible, Sawyer loved the feeling of the wind rushing through her hair as she drove home. Heat? What heat? Sawyer could hardly tell the blaring sun was coating her little home town. Her loyal Karmann Ghia never failed her, so that plus the fact that it might be the last week the two old friends would spend together, and Sawyer was soaking up her car- not the sun.

Just about eleven weeks along and growing bigger by the minute, Sawyer was biting the bullet and going car shopping tomorrow. It was bittersweet and emotional to think about. That old, sea blue convertible had been Sawyer's favored companion for the last sixteen years. Sure, it had seen its problems over the years- flat tires, over heating, faulty gaskets, but that car had soul. That car was a part of Sawyer.

Rolling into the driveway, Sawyer gently stepped on the break and placed both of her hands atop of the steering wheel, rubbing them around the rim as if she were quietly saying goodbye. She looked to her growing stomach and sighed. Giving up her car was going to be difficult. The rain that started to splatter against the roof didn't make things any easier. Sawyer felt her eyes getting teary, but she wasn't about to let her hormones get the best of her. She wasn't going to cry, not over her car. She was tough.

Getting out of the car and walking inside, Sawyer opened up the front door and heard something coming from the bedroom. Tossing her keys by the sofa, the blonde, thirty-two year old headed down the hall. It was getting louder, that easy strumming and soft lull of the acoustic guitar until it stopped. Sawyer stuck her head in the bedroom and saw Ben sitting on the bed with a pick in his mouth practicing the finger movements of a new song. He had no idea she was there and cleared his throat to try the song again.

Ben was concentrating on one thing. His eyes ran the length of the guitar's neck and his fingers settled against the hard frets and strings. His wrist started moving, and the introduction of the song began to ring out of the belly of the guitar.

Being the music person that she was, Sawyer recognized the song. It was Old Crow Medicine Show's Wagon Wheel.

"I'm headed down south to the land of the pines, and I'm thumbin' my way into North Caroline. Starin' up the road, pray to God I see headlights..."

Sawyer shifted her weight and leaned against the doorframe just watching him play on. When she'd done that, though, the old hardwood creaked beneath her feet and made Ben look up. He flashed her a grin and raised his brows as he continued into the second verse. Sawyer walked towards him and felt her heart race. Ben was sexy when he played the guitar, and it was even better when he sang. Sawyer always did have a thing for musicians.

Ben could see the look in her eyes and he kept grinning throughout the second verse into the chorus, "So rock me mama like a wagon wheel. Rock me mama anyway you feel..."

Sawyer wasn't going to be able to stand much more of that if he kept looking as cute as he did, singing that song as sweet as he was.

The rhythm of the acoustic guitar stopped but Ben kept with the chorus as he put down the guitar and stood up. He slowly moved his finger to tell Sawyer to come closer.

Her cheeks were hot and her feet were walking towards him. Sawyer was at the mercy of his voice, his eyes, his everything.

When Ben felt Sawyer standing against him, he slipped one of his hands over her expanding baby bump, "Hey... Hey _mama_ rock me." He couldn't help but say mama differently than the other words. Looking down to the stomach that held his child, Ben looked back up to the woman in front of him and loved the idea that she was going to be a mom.

Knowing that Ben was using his musical qualities to his advantage, Sawyer tried not to give in. It was so easy to, but she didn't want to cave. She locked her arms around his broad shoulders and kissed him hello.

He could tell that he wasn't getting anywhere else with his serenade and grinned, "How was your day?"

"Good." Sawyer had spent most of it with Charlotte. Mexican for lunch, and it wasn't even half bad without margaritas. Baby errands plus a trip to see Brooke, and the two best friends had stayed busy. "They're having a girl." Sawyer looked to her boyfriend, "Charlotte and Graham are."

Smiling, Ben nodded as he looked down. "Yeah? Maybe that means we will too." He was all about having a girl. He'd love nothing more. Sure, he could play baseball with a boy and have a guy's fishing trip with a son, but something about a girl sounded even better.

"I'm pretty sure I jinxed myself today, so you're probably right." Remembering how she threw salt on a fellow restaurant goer earlier, Sawyer shrugged, "The universe will punish me with a girl. I just know it." Sawyer sighed and instantly felt hungry. Moving away towards the kitchen, Sawyer arched her brow, "I mean look. Only a girl would want me to eat twenty-four seven and lose my figure."

Laughing, Ben could only shake his head. "You look beautiful."

"You're just saying that."

He held up his hands and shook his head. He wasn't just saying that. It was the truth. Sawyer was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. The pregnancy only enhanced everything Ben loved about her. "So what do you want for dinner?"

Grabbing a box of Lucky Charms, Sawyer flopped down on the couch. "I'm good with this for now." Lately dried cereal was her favorite thing to eat between meals. Captain Crunch, Apple Jacks, Lucky Charms- Sawyer had a plethora of assorted cereal boxes on her kitchen counter.

Ben knew she'd only snack on that and then want something more filling later, but he followed her into the living room and sat down next to her. Trout made himself comfortable by the feet of the furniture, and Ben turned on the television. He wanted to ask if he could watch the game, but since she was the one carrying their child, he'd let her pick.

Sawyer tossed a handful of cereal into her mouth and then reached for the remote. She flipped to an unexpected channel and looked to Ben. "Braves are up by one. Maybe they can hold on?" She handed Ben a red balloon marshmallow because she didn't like those.

He grinned and leaned back to watch his favorite baseball team while he ate the red balloons she didn't want.

The rain outside progressively got worse, and sometime during the sixth inning Ben thought they might lose power but they didn't. The television was fine, but the rain had a different effect on Sawyer. She was out, sound asleep against Ben's left side. The pattern of the rain had lulled her to sleep and Ben ended up eating more than just the red balloons once she'd fallen asleep. What was he supposed to do now? Move and wake her up, and endure the wrath of a cranky Sawyer? No thanks. So there they were. It was the bottom of the ninth and the Braves had extended their lead to three. With the game a safe bet, Ben gently moved to put the box of cereal on the coffee table and then slowly moved out from under his girlfriend. He stood up and weighed his options. Picking her up seemed like the easiest thing to do.

Leaning down and scooping her into his arms, Ben managed to lift Sawyer off the couch and head to the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and wondered if she'd wake up. She moved around a little but never opened her eyes. Ben quietly walked out of the bedroom to make a little something to eat because half a box of Lucky Charms wasn't quite doing it for him. He rummaged around the kitchen and decided on a turkey sandwich. It would be quick and easy, and he could go lie back down with Sawyer on a full stomach.

After turning off the kitchen lights and taking the last bite of his sandwich, Ben made his way to Sawyer's room. The room was dark but every once in a while the lightening would flash through the darkness. Ben took off his shirt and slid next to Sawyer.

Feeling his warmth, Sawyer rolled closer and pressed her nose against his chest. She could smell the bar soap that lingered on his skin. It was one of her favorite smells. "I thought you'd left."

Wrapping an arm around her, Ben shook his head as he yawned, "I got a sandwich. You want one?"

"Mmm-ugh." Lucky Charms had been enough. She was already perfectly comfortable next to him. Sawyer took a few soft, deep breaths, "Hey, Ben?"

"Yeah, OJ?" He rested one of his arms over his head and closed his eyes.

"Move in with me." Sawyer didn't want him to keep going back and forth between his place and hers. They needed to settle on one, and seeing as Sawyer had the house suitable for a family, hers seemed like the best place.

His eyes shot opened and he grinned. There was nothing more he wanted to do than to be close to her and the baby, Trout, too. Ben turned towards her slowly leaned down to Sawyer. "I'll tell my landlord tomorrow I'm moving out." He kissed her on the corner of her mouth, and couldn't help but smile. He would be lying to himself if he said he hadn't thought about moving in with her. It seemed like the logical next step. He knew mixing their things would probably be a complicated process, but so was having a baby. "And just how much of _my_ music am I gonna get to bring over here?" He was expecting her to say none of it but she didn't.

"As much as you want?" Her eyes opened and she kissed him more soundly on the mouth. It was all about compromise, and they were learning.

Taking a deep breath and pulling her close, Ben nodded. While night and the idea of moving into together fell upon the duo, the storm outside hushed them to sleep as the rain continued to pour down on Tree Hill. It was one of those summer storms that seemed as harmless as any, but it wasn't. This wind and rain would aid in a disaster that could change both of Sawyer and Ben's lives.

They got the call just after one in the morning.

Ben heard his phone ringing and wearily reached for the thing hoping he could throw it across the room. Who called at such an un-godly hour? His hand found the device and instead of chunking it against the wall, he peeked one of his eyes open to see who it was. His brain wasn't quite awake yet, so he didn't read the name on the phone but answered it, "Yeah?"

"Ben, it's Drew." The Coastie working the command center at the base had just heard bad news. "Graham's been in an accident."

Immediately sitting up in bed, Ben shook his head. "What?"

"We just got word of it. The chopper went down off the coast of Kure Beach."

"Shit." Ben's mind started to race as his heart thumped beneath his chest. His best friend was a rescue swimmer who operated out of a helicopter. There had always been the possibility of something going wrong, but Ben never thought it ever would. "Is...are they alive?"

"Nobody knows. They're gonna send a team first thing in the morning." Right now weather conditions weren't favorable, but as soon as the storm eased up and the sun started to rise, the Coast Guard would being a search and rescue mission.

"What can I do to help?"

Drew shrugged, "We can't do anything till this weather passes. I'll put your name in for the boat, though. I'll know you'll want to be out there."

"Yeah, man. Thanks." Ben looked over to Sawyer who was beginning to stir in the bed. "I'll uh...I'll talk to you later." He hung up the phone and scooted out of bed. He walked into the bathroom and held onto the sink as he stared into his blank reflection. This couldn't be happening.

Sawyer could feel the bed move when Ben got up. She cracked open her eyes and saw the bathroom light on. Moving away from the covers, she made her way to the bathroom. Sawyer could see that Ben was looking down and something felt off. "Hey..." She slowly walked towards him and put her hand on his back, "Are you okay?"

He shook his head and turned to face her. "Graham's helicopter went down." Ben took a deep breath and looked past Sawyer with a solemn stare. "I don't know if he was on it or if he was already in the water but..." The Tennessean swallowed hard and looked to his girlfriend. "I need to go tell Charlotte."

Sawyer was processing it all, but she knew she wasn't going to let him make that trip alone. "I'm coming with you."

He shook her off and tried to move past Sawyer. "No..." He didn't want Sawyer caught up in the madness and possible tragedy. Wasn't the first trimester the prime time for miscarriages? Ben was pretty sure one of those baby books he'd read had said that, and he didn't want to chance anything. Stress could become a major factor, and Sawyer needed to stay away...especially if Graham didn't make it out alive.

"Yes." Sawyer suddenly felt very awake. "I'm coming with you, Ben. Don't make me stay here. I'm already up, and Charlotte's gonna need me." She took a few steps closer to him and nodded. He was gonna need her, too.

Ben didn't want to fight about it, and certainly not now. He only nodded and walked by her to throw on some clothes. Sawyer followed suit and they were out the door before five minutes had past. The ride over to Charlotte and Graham's was silent. The only sound came from the rain against Ben's car.

When they pulled into the McFarland's driveway, Ben took a deep breath. Years ago when Charlotte and Graham first started dating, Graham had asked Ben to be the one to talk with Charlotte if anything ever happened. Ben just never thought that day would come.

Sawyer reached over and held onto her Coastie's hand. "He's gonna be okay."

Maybe Graham would, maybe he wouldn't? At this point nobody knew. Ben turned off the car and started to open his door. Sawyer and Ben would fight through the rain to get to the front porch, and then they'd face Charlotte.

The heartbreak Sawyer watched run over her best friend's face as Ben told her about Graham touched emotions the blonde never thought she had. She couldn't imagine being on the receiving end of news like that on top of being pregnant. Charlotte was holding it together though. Over the course of the next few hours she'd break down but then pull herself back together again. She had two little kids with one on the way. Charlotte needed to be strong for them. She had to be.

Hours passed and the early morning was fading into dawn as the sun neared the horizon. Nathan and Haley had come to sit with Charlotte to wait on an update about their son-in-law, Graham's parents were on their way to Tree Hill, and Sawyer and Ben were still waiting it out with the rest of them. Two uniformed Coasties had come to Charlotte's door with melancholy expressions and an update, but their update wasn't really an update at all. They'd come with the same news Ben had. Graham's chopper had gone down and they'd be sending a boat within an hour to begin the search and rescue.

The moment they'd come to the door, Ben knew he needed to leave. If the Coast Guard was sending a boat, he was going to be on it. Looking to Sawyer, he pulled her into the kitchen.

She knew what he was about to tell her. Ben was gonna be in the search party that was going to bring back Charlotte's husband- their friend. Sawyer didn't let Ben get a word in, though. Instead, she took a deep breath and softly kissed him. "Be careful."

"I will." He nodded and then moved past the mother of his child on his way to the front door.

Sawyer watched Ben leave and then heard the telephone ring. Charlotte had gone upstairs and Sawyer knew she better answer it. Graham's wife already had enough on her mind. Sitting down at the kitchen table, Sawyer answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Charlotte?" An woman's voice came through the speakers.

"No, ma'am. This is Sawyer."

"Oh, Sawyer...this is Anne. We're about an hour away. Have you heard anything?" Graham's mom's voice sounded quiet yet determined. She was holding it together as best as she could. It was hard though. Her oldest son was missing, potentially dead.

"Two guys from the Coast Guard stopped by. They're gonna send a boat out within the hour. Ben just left to get on it."

"Oh, okay..." There was a long pause and the older Mrs. McFarland spoke one last time. "We'll see you in a little while, then. Call if anything changes."

"We will." Sawyer felt so bad for Graham's parents. That must have been one terrible car ride to Tree Hill.

The telephone rang again, and Sawyer quickly realized her job for the next few hours would be manning the phone. Neighbors would call. Friends and family. It was madness. Charlotte had other things to deal with, so Sawyer took over without being asked. And the phones kept her busy, too. A couple more hours passed and after hanging up with a reporter from Star News, Sawyer all but wanted to chunk the phone across the room. Did people have any decency anymore? The phone started to ring again, and the pregnant, thirty-two year old, blonde raised the phone to her ear, "What!"

Ben laughed at Sawyer's _happy_ demeanor but he had good news. "Tell Charlotte to get to the hospital. We found them." Ben was aboard the Diligence and could see the drifting rafts the stranded men were using about fifty yards away. As soon as he'd heard they were closing in on the guys, he had to call to spread the good news.

It took Sawyer a full, silent thirty seconds before she could find the words to speak. "Wha...is he okay?" Obviously Graham wouldn't be perfectly healthy. They'd been lost at sea for over twelve hours. At best he might be a little dehydrated, but there were far worse things they could be dealing with.

"I don't know. The hospital's medevac helicopter is following us and is gonna pick up the seriously injured. But tell Charlotte. Tell her we got him...or are about to. We won't know about his condition until we get them aboard, but I can see them, Sawyer." Ben wasn't sure if Graham was even on the raft, but he had a good feeling that he was.

"Trammell...head to the deck. We're gonna need all the help we can get."

Ben heard his commanding officer ordering his position and he had to hang up. "I'll see you later. I love you."

Sawyer heard the dial tone before she could say it back to him and then let it sink in for a second. Snapping out of her shock, Sawyer quickly got out of her chair, "Charlotte...!" Her best friend was sitting on the back porch with her parents and in-laws, and Sawyer nearly walked through the screen door to relay the good news. "Charlotte... Ben just called. They...they found them."

Feeling her heart burst, Charlotte felt the world stop. "What?"

Smiling as wide as she ever had, Sawyer nodded, "They're gonna take them all to the hospital, so Ben said you should go there."

"Thank God." Anne got up off the porch swing and looked to her husband and daughter-in-law.

"I'll drive." Nathan reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys.

Charlotte still felt like the world was in slow motion. Her feet couldn't move fast enough. She knew she needed to get to the hospital. "Did...did Ben say how Graham was? Is he okay?"

Sawyer shook her head, "They don't know yet."

That wasn't the best news, but hopefully he'd be alright. Their joyful reactions might be a bit premature, but at this point, they were all hoping for the best. Graham was gonna be on that raft, and he was gonna be okay. He had to be.

Charlotte and the four older adults all hurried through the house and out the door. Sawyer could hold down the fort for a little while. She'd want to get to the hospital soon, but she could wait. Jamie and Liza had Hattie and Scott, and Sawyer was sure she could get Keith to house sit soon. Right now, the important part was getting Charlotte to the hospital so she could see her husband.

Once Sawyer was alone in the house, she'd picked up her cell to call her brother. "Come on, come on...pick up."

"Hey, any news?" Keith immediately asked for an update on Graham when he answered.

"Yeah..." Sawyer couldn't hide her smile, "They found the life rafts. Ben called and said they're taking them all to the hospital. I wanted to head that way now. Will you come over to Charlotte and Graham's and watch the house and answer calls?"

"Sure. I can be there in ten minutes."

That was good news. "Okay, great. I'll go ahead and leave then."

Keith nodded and then heard his sister hang up.

Sawyer all but ran out of the house, but stopped dead in her tracks when she realized her car wasn't there. She'd ridden with Ben. "Shit." She hurried back in and grabbed Charlotte's keys. Now with a way to get to the hospital, Sawyer hopped in the Audi wagon and cranked it up. It didn't have the life or personality that her car did, but it would work. It would get her from point A to point B.

Quickly backing out of the driveway, Sawyer's foot was searching for the clutch to shift into first gear, but she soon remembered Charlotte's car was an automatic. Thrusting the drive shaft into drive, Sawyer pressed the gas and sped away towards the hospital. Charlotte had been right. The wagon wasn't totally a mom car. It went pretty damn fast.

Buzzing through the lanes of traffic and flying through yellow lights, Sawyer knew it wouldn't take her too long to get to the hospital. Once it was in view, she turned towards the entrance but swerved at the sound of an approaching horn. "Jesus...!" Sawyer winced as she barely missed the oncoming SUV, but she was the one who'd pulled out in front of him and she apologetically threw her hand up in the air. "Sorry."

She found a parking space and took a few deep breaths before getting out. Sawyer's head was spinning from the near miss and she knew it could have been disastrous. Sawyer was lucky she'd skirted by like she did. The last thing they needed was someone else in the hospital.

The doors of the hospital entrance slid open and Sawyer hurried inside, asking the lady at the front desk where she needed to go. After being pointed in the right direction, Sawyer walked down the icy halls and saw a familiar face. "Liza...?"

"Hey." Jamie's wife stood up and smiled at Sawyer.

"I thought you were with the kids?"

"I was. Jamie wanted me to come and see if I could work behind the scenes to get extra information." Liza was a nurse and knew just about everyone at the hospital. Having an 'in' at a time like this could speed up the communication between the doctors and families. And seeing as Liza was a nurse, she couldn't help but notice Sawyer's white complexion. "Are you okay?"

Letting out a breathy sigh, Sawyer waved it off, "Yeah... I'm fine." She'd felt a little light headed but attributed it to fast pace car ride and dire circumstances Graham was in.

The thirty-seven year old mother of two arched her brow. She knew trouble when she saw it. "Have you eaten anything today?"

Sawyer couldn't even remember the last time she ate anything. "Um..."

"Here..." Liza walked with Sawyer towards the nurses' lounge. "I bet there's some real food in the fridge." Knowing Sawyer didn't need vending machine junk, Liza led her husband's cousin away from the waiting families on the Coast Guard.

"Really...I'm fine." The pregnant music lover looked to her belly with a shrug. Everything was okay, wasn't it? Maybe she did feel a little off?

Liza wasn't a risk taker. She knew all to well how pregnancies could get complicated and turn fateful in a moment. "Let me just get some food in you and I'll feel better." She softly laughed and nodded, "_You'll_ feel better."

"Alright." Sawyer nodded and continued to follow Liza. What could it hurt? Liza was the professional one. She knew what was best.

The two Scotts walked into the nurses' lounge and Liza reached in for a tub of chicken salad. She walked over to the table where Sawyer was sitting and slid it down the counter with a plastic fork.

Laughing, Sawyer read the sticky note adhered to the top of the lid. "Debbie's. Do not eat." Sawyer did always like to break the rules and she popped off the top with a laugh.

"Don't worry. I work with her. I'll bring her more tomorrow."

It took a little bit of the fun out of it, but Sawyer nodded. As she begin to eat the chicken salad, Sawyer felt Liza grab a hold of her wrist. "Liza..." Sawer laughed and shook her head, "I'm fine." Was the nurse really taking Sawyer's pulse.

Sawyer just didn't look good. She didn't look good at all. "I'm sorry. I know I'm overstepping my bounds, but..." Liza couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something was off. "Would you hate me if I took your blood pressure?"

Completely immersed in eating the chicken salad, Sawyer rolled her eyes. "Whatever. That's fine."

Liza ran the numbers and before Sawyer knew it, one of Liza's nurse friends was showing her into an exam room. Apparently Liza's gut had been right. Something was off. Sawyer's blood pressure was lower than it should have been, so now they were gonna check on the baby. Everything was probably fine, but it was just precautionary.

Leaning back against the starchy pillows of the exam table, Sawyer closed her eyes and shook her head. Of course this would happen to her. Her cell phone started to ring and she had to reach over to the near chair to answer it. Maybe it was an update on Graham? "Hello..."

"Hey I just got at the hospital. Where is everyone. Where do I need to go?" Ben was walking towards the emergency section not sure if that was where he was supposed to go.

"Well..." Sawyer laughed and looked at the little plastic plate stuck to the wall that had the room number on it. "I'm in room four-oh-five, but if you want to wait for Graham they're on the second floor by the chapel."

Ben stopped in his tracks. "What? _You're_ in the hospital?"

"I'm fine. Everything's okay. My blood pressure is low so they're just checking the baby. I just haven't eaten much lately. I'm fine. Really..."

"Uh..." So much had gone through his mind in the last fourteen hours. First Graham and now Sawyer? "Okay. I'll be up there in a second."

"No, you don't have to co..." Sawyer didn't think he needed to waste time with her, but Ben hung up before she could tell him that.

Liza and her friend Helen walked in to the room and the ultrasound technician smiled. "I'm just gonna check everything. It won't take but a second."

Sawyer took a deep breath and leaned back. "Go for it, Doc." The woman wasn't even a doctor, but Sawyer couldn't help but let her sarcasm shine through.

It was a matter of seconds before the three women saw the black and white image on the screen. Helen moved the probe around Sawyer's belly just a smidgen and nodded, "Heartbeat's good."

"See...nothing's wrong." Sawyer looked to Liza and arched her brown in a 'I told you so' kind of way.

But just as it came out of Sawyer's mouth Helen pointed to the screen and narrowed her eyes. She'd spotted something uncommon and moved the probe around again to get a better look.

Sawyer's stomach instantly flipped. What was wrong? Something was wrong. She knew she shouldn't have said that- now something wasn't right. "What is it?"

Liza wasn't a trained ultrasound technician, so she wasn't one-hundred percent sure.

Helen put the probe down and turned to Sawyer with a smile that looked fake. "I'll be right back."

Ben brushed shoulders with Helen when he came in the room, and he looked to Sawyer with a cute grin. "Hey." He saw Jamie's wife and walked closer to his girlfriend. "Everything okay?"

Sawyer wasn't sure. At this point her hormones had convinced herself something terrible was wrong and she didn't want to have to face Ben. What if she'd messed up the pregnancy somehow? What if she'd hurt the baby? She knew she wasn't gonna be a good mom. Who was she trying to kid?

The blue-eyed Coastie could see the fear in Sawyer's eyes and he took her hand as he approached the exam chair. "Hey..." Ben tried to lock eyes with her but she wouldn't. "Look at me..." He waited until her blue eyes met his, "...everything's gonna be okay."

Maybe it would? Maybe it wouldn't? With everything that was happening around them, maybe they were next in line. With all the tragic things happening in Tree Hill, maybe something bad was supposed to happen to everyone?

Sometimes the world was cruel.

Sometimes it threw you curveballs you never expected.

**OTHOTH**

**Uh-oh. Looks like all hell has broken loose in Tree Hill. Next chapter we'll find out what happens with Sawyer and Ben...and Charlotte and Graham for that matter. Obviously this last section co-insides directly with Charlotte's last chapter, but the detail about the crash was missing. If you're curious and haven't read her last two chapters...you'll find out all the necessary information in there. But finally after all this time, the two stories are all caught up. I wonder how long that will last.**

**My reviewers: Gosh, you guys. You really don't realize how awesome you all make me feel with each review. If I wasn't doing anything this summer I'd spend it all writing updates for you. Y'all rock!**

**2old4oth: I think you and everyone else (including me) were glad to see that Ben was sushi guy! Obviously there's some kind of hiccup with the pregnancy that may impact Sawyer's chances of being a mom, but we'll find all that out next chapter.**

**Joan: Ew, no. It was never gonna be Emmett, lol. It was Ben from the very beginning. If not because I love Sawyer and Ben together, but because I love writing Russ, ha! Hmm...will a wedding ever happen? Maybe. Maybe not- my answer to everything it seems. But we will find out if Sawyer and Ben will go that route in the future.**

**Lucy: I'm so glad you like the story so far! I'm sorry it took me a while to update. Life's been crazy. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter too!**

**C: I'm so glad you're glad it's Ben! Ben is one of my favorite characters! **

**Review Please!**


	21. My Mood Swings

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 21: My Mood Swings**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Nope. Nope. Boo. Blah. Blee-blee-blahh.**

**A/N: Hey all. Life as a first year teacher is crazy. I'm loving it, but I literally have like...no free time. Apologies for the late update. Maybe things will get better/less hectic as the year moves along. But on with the chapter. Sawyer and Ben were facing something unexpected, and Graham had been in an accident. This chapter picks up with that and then it will jump as the sections usually do. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The moment the nurse walked back in the room with a doctor, Sawyer knew everything had changed. Everything she thought about the pregnancy had changed, and she knew she was about to get news that would turn her and Ben's worlds upside down. Her heart had leapt into her throat, her heart was racing, and Sawyer was starting to feel the prickle of tears forming behind those blue eyes of hers. She'd watched Charlotte go through the heartbreak of a miscarriage, but she never thought it might happen to her. And Sawyer was absolutely convinced she'd done something wrong.

Ben was just as anxious to find out what was going on, and he nervously smiled at the woman in a white coat who'd walked into the room. She was either going to devastate him or relay news that was more bearable. Whatever the outcome, Ben just wanted to know. He knew Sawyer wanted to know too. He held her hand waiting hoping for the best.

"Hey guys, I'm Holly Powell." She was all smiles and approached the ultrasound machine with a pep in her step. She looked at the screen and then moved the probe over Sawyer's belly to check for herself. "Yep. Yep..." Nodding at Helen, the nurse who'd first noticed Sawyer's particular condition, Doctor Powell confirmed Helen's suspicion. She pointed to the screen and looked to Sawyer and Ben, "Looks like you've got two babies in there, guys." The woman flashed her perky smile again. "Congratulations, it's twins."

"What?" Sawyer's initial fear turned into complete and utter disbelief. "Excuse me?"

What Ben thought might be his worst fear turned into absolute bewilderment. A sweet grin started to cover his face, and he let out a laugh taking a deep breath as he ran his hand over his neck. The blue-eyed Coastie looked to his girlfriend, "Holy cow. _T__wo_ babies, OJ." He leaned over to Sawyer, and planted a sweet kiss on the side of her head. For Ben, the news couldn't have been any better. He'd been expecting something terrible, soto find out they were having twins was a completely welcomed shock.

Looking at her belly and to the screen and then back and fourth for a few times, Sawyer couldn't quite process the information. She furrowed her brow and let her mouth hang open. _Twins_. They were having _twins_? Her eyes bugged and she started to realized exactly what that meant. Two times the trouble. Two times the diapers. Two times everything. "Holy shit."

Doctor Powell laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "It might take some time to set in. I'm sure this is a bit of a shock, but twins is one of the most wonderful gifts of pregnancy."

Gifts my ass. Sawyer wanted to ring that doctor's neck. Two was _not_ always better than one. Two meant they'd double up on everything. They'd have to spend double the money, and she'd get _doubly_ fat.

Looking to Ben's uniform, Doctor Powell nodded at Sawyer, "Now I know you're friends with some of the guys who were hurt last night, but try to take it easy. You've got two little lives depending on you now. So get a much sleep as you can and increase your calories a bit. You want those babies as strong as possible." The kind doctor put her hands together and asked if Sawyer and Ben had any questions.

Being the stand-up guy he was, Ben did have questions- questions about making sure the babies were well taken care of and questions about his girlfriend. He wanted to do right by them-all three of them.

Meanwhile, Sawyer was a mess. Her mind was all over the place when Ben was asking the doctor questions. Everything Dr. Powell said and explained went in one ear and out the other. Twins. It was all she could think about. Twins! It was absolutely unbelievable.

Grinning with that goofy, boyish smile, Ben thanked the medical staff and watched the doctor and nurse walk out of the room. He turned to Sawyer and took a deep breath about to say something, but Ben could see the news had muted his normally boisterous and opinionated girlfriend . Her stare was untraceable and she was being mighty quiet. "Hey..." He moved closer and nodded, "Tell me what's going through your head."

Taking a second to gather her thoughts, Sawyer looked right into those sweet eyes of his. "I'm thinking that it was what...last week when I had realized I was _ready_ for a baby." Sawyer and pregnancy were two things that had never seemed to mesh up until recently. "But _one_ baby and _two_ babies are _completely_ different things." She shook her head and closed her eyes. "I just..." Sawyer breathed deeply and raised her hands to rub over her face. "I don't know."

Ben could tell that she was trying to decide if twins was a good thing or bad thing. "Tell me what to say to make it better."

Sighing, Sawyer lifted her shoulders and furrowed her brow, "Tell me that we're ready for this. That I'm ready for this. Cause right now I feel like I'm about to jump out of an airplane without a parachute."

He laughed at her and shrugged. "Alright. Well...we're not ready..."

"Ben!" Sawyer's eyes widened. "Why would you say that!"

"Who is ever ready for twins, Sawyer? Nobody." He grinned but shook his head, "So I'm not gonna lie to you and tell you we're ready, cause we're not. But I can tell you that this is gonna be a good thing- that you're gonna be a great mom, and..." His eyes moved from her face down to her twelve weeks along belly, "And those babies are gonna be the best thing that ever happened to us."

It was times like this when Sawyer Scott knew that without a doubt Ben Trammell had been the thief who'd stolen her heart. His good looks, cute smile, and southern charm had nothing on the way he spoke to her or how he made her feel. He was the guy who put it all in perspective, the man she loved, and the father of her two unborn children. Biting her lip and looking up to him, the blonde, music lover nodded. She took a few more deep breaths. In time Ben would be right. The babies probably _were _gonna be the best thing that ever happened to _them_. And what Sawyer was realizing more and more everyday was that Ben was the best thing that ever happened to _her_.

Smiling and still loving this new news, Ben leaned over to kiss her. "I love you."

His lips silenced her reservations and reminded her about what mattered. Once he pulled away, Ben helped Sawyer off the exam table and they walked out of the room. The real world was just beyond those doors, and Sawyer and Ben had to quickly get ready to face the rest what life threw at them. Graham's fate still hung in the balance.

The accident had been temporarily placed in the back of both of their minds since the news of the babies, and now that they were walking towards the waiting room, it was becoming all to close to home. Sawyer and Ben made their way to the rest of Graham's friends and family hoping for any news. Charlotte and Haley were missing from the bunch, and Ben's grip around his girlfriend's hand weakened when he saw uniformed officers surrounding Captain Langston's wife. Ben headed towards his Coastie comrades while Sawyer took a seat next to her uncle Nathan.

"Where are Charlotte and Haley?"

Nathan was exhausted and had been resting his head in his hands. He looked up to his niece and sighed. "Charlotte passed out in the bathroom, and she and Haley are with the doctor."

Bugging her eyes, Sawyer swallowed hard. What! Sawyer could still distinctively remember the day a few years back when she'd crawled into bed with Charlotte after she'd heard her best friend had miscarried. Surely Charlotte and Graham' wouldn't be dealt another devastating blow. This family should only have to take so much. "Is she okay?"

"I hope so. They're gonna run some tests and check on the baby."

Instinctively, Sawyer reached out to console her dark-haired uncle. Even with all the news she was facing, Sawyer knew Charlotte and those closest to her were dealing with so much more. She placed her hand on Nathan's forearm and nodded. "I'm sure everything's gonna be okay."

A man of few words, Nathan could only nod and hope his niece was right.

Twenty minutes passed before they heard word about Charlotte and the baby. Graham's wife and Haley had come back with good news, though. She and the baby were both fine. Limited pain brought on by stress was apparently common.

Just as the gathering of close friends and family faced Charlotte's good news, the same two uniformed officers who had shattered Mrs. Langston's world, walked towards Trevor and Graham's families. One of them broke off to Trevor's family and Sawyer kept her eyes on the one walking to Charlotte. Please let it be good news. Please. Sawyer's eyes and ears were glued to what came out of the man's mouth. Graham was at the hospital. He was in surgery. He was alive.

Quickly following the footsteps of those around her up to the surgery waiting room, Sawyer passed Ben in the hallway and wanted to share the good news since he'd been talking with other Coasties. "Hey...Graham's okay. He's in surgery."

Ben knew. He'd heard. He'd also heard the other news. He nodded and looked to Trevor's family. His saddened face said it all.

Turning over her shoulder, Sawyer could see Trevor's wife covering her face with her hands. Suddenly the happiness about Graham turned into fear. Instantly, a knot formed in Sawyer's stomach. She looked back to Ben and furrowed her brow whispering a question, "He didn't make it?"

Swallowing hard, Ben shook his head. His heart was breaking for Emily and everyone close to Trevor. "I'll meet you up there later." He tilted his head towards the elevator. Before he waited up in surgery with the rest of them, he needed to go see Trevor's family.

"Okay." Sawyer watched Ben walk away and she continued towards the surgical waiting room. She found a spot next to Charlotte and they both blankly stared out into space. A few minutes passed before either of them spoke.

"Trevor..." Charlotte's emotion pooled in her throat. Charlotte had seen Emily in passing when they were walking to the other waiting room. The look on Trevor's wife's face would haunt Charlotte forever. Trevor was dead and Graham was in surgery. Nothing was certain anymore. Her stomach hurt, her heart ache, Charlotte just wanted this fiasco to be over. "I...I don't..."

Sawyer grabbed Charlotte's hand and she turned to her best friend. "Graham's gonna be okay, Charlotte."

Wiping away a tear, Charlotte nodded. She could only hope as much.

The minutes and hours ticked by without any news on Graham's condition. Charlotte was getting restless. She craved information that wasn't available. After pacing, she sat down in the uncomfortable waiting chairs and breathed loudly. She looked to her pregnant best friend who was picking at her nails passing the time. "Hey..." Sawyer turned to Charlotte and arched her brow. "I love you for being here, but you don't have to stay." The brunette glanced at Sawyer's expanding belly and fatigued body language. "I'm sure you would be more comfortable at home."

Sawyer shook her head. She wasn't going anywhere. "I'm okay." Tired, but able to manage her exhaustion, the thirty-two year old glanced to Charlotte's growing belly. "What about you? Tell me what you need."

Leaning back, Charlotte closed her eyes. Other than her husband to come out of surgery alive and well, Charlotte breathed deeply as she thought about it. The smell of her day-old clothes was rising through her nostrils. "Actually...wanna do me a favor?"

"Yeah, sure. What?"

"You think you could run by the house and grab me a change of clothes. I think I'm starting to smell in these."

Sawyer let out a smile and nodded.

"Oh...and a cheeseburger from somewhere. This hospital food is terrible."

Smiling again, Sawyer nodded. "I'm on it." She got up out of her seat and slung her bag around her shoulder. She asked around to see if anyone else needed anything and then made sure that someone would call her if any news came.

Ben got up to walk with her and stopped at the elevators. "Grab a burger or two for yourself."

Punching the down button, Sawyer rolled her eyes with a smile. "I'm not getting two burgers for me."

Running his eyes down to his girlfriends's stomach, Ben raised his brows, "Well now that we know..."

Sawyer quickly hushed Ben and pressed her finger to his mouth. "Shh..." She didn't want their news about twins to go viral at the moment. It wasn't the time or place, and right now everyone needed to be focused on Graham. "I'll be back in a little while."

"Okay." He softly kissed her head and watched Sawyer step into the elevator.

The doors closed and Sawyer felt the contraption shift downward. She headed for the parking deck and revved the engine to life when she got into her car. Her parking fee was ridiculously expensive considering it was priced at an hourly rate, and it took everything in Sawyer's body not to ram straight through the dumb gate. But better thought and common sense prevailed. She sped out of the exit and turned straight towards Charlotte and Graham's house.

It hadn't taken Sawyer long to get back to the hospital. She'd not so gently crammed some clothes in a bag for Charlotte and then stopped by a fast food place to pick up some burgers. Between red lights and stop signs she'd eaten Charlotte's fries, though. But somehow, Sawyer didn't think her best friend would mind. Charlotte was more thankful for the clothes and burger.

Now they were all back to waiting.

The florescent lights of the hospital made the approaching 9pm hour seem earlier than it really was. The brightness of the hospital couldn't light up the somber mood of the waiting room, though. Everyone was waiting, wishing, and hoping for news that Graham would be okay. Sawyer had fallen asleep on Ben's shoulder when the doctor finally came out.

Graham had made it out of surgery. He wasn't awake yet and wouldn't be for a while, but he was okay.

With everyone's minds at ease, Ben sent Sawyer home to get some sleep. She didn't need to stay any longer. It wasn't good for her, and only a couple people could be at Graham's bedside anyway. Sawyer fought it and tried to defend her willingness to stay, but it was no use. Charlotte teamed up with Ben and more or less told Sawyer she better go. And as much as Sawyer hated to be away, she was secretly glad she could go home and lay down. Her ankles hurt, her butt was sore from those dumb, hard chairs, and she was ready for bed.

It was just after ten when Sawyer pulled into the driveway. It seemed like forever that she'd been home. She walked into her home and was happily greeted by Trout. The golden retriever rubbed against her leg and escorted Sawyer to the bedroom. Quickly changing into some pajamas, Sawyer slid under the covers and turned off the lights. Her eyes welcomed the darkness and her body thanked her as she snuggled into her pillows. It had been a long day- a very long day.

On her back, Sawyer breathed deeply and then moved her hands from her side across her was still so surreal to think there were twins in there. Maybe the world was testing Sawyer, giving her more than she could handle, but now determined more than ever, she was ready to prove to the world and to herself that she could do it. She and Ben were up for the challenge.

Drifting into a deep sleep, Sawyer dreamt about the future- about what it would be like to be a mom. And about four hours into her peaceful dreams, Sawyer woke up to footsteps against the moaning hardwood of the hall. Ben must have come back.

Trout perked up. He rose to his paws and wagged his tail when he saw his most favorite companion walk into the bedroom.

"Hey, bud..." Ben's soft voice was a whisper so he wouldn't wake up Sawyer.

But she was already up and started to sit up in bed. "So is Graham...?"

Ben didn't even let her finish. Instead, he nodded and smiled. "Yeah, he woke up about an hour ago." He started to pull his Coastie uniform off his body and slipped off his shoes.

Feeling her chest fill with warmth and her eyes puddle with tears, Sawyer smiled and then started to cry.

Pulling his belt through the loops, Ben furrowed his brow and crawled up on the bed next to her. "Hey...he's fine. A little bruised and sore, but he's okay."

Unable to speak through the tears, Sawyer could only nod. She'd been so overcome and caught off guard with her happy emotion.

Ben kissed her wet cheeks and hovered over her before wrapping his big arms around her.

Sawyer wrapped her arms around Ben and continued to cry. She couldn't stop. Maybe it was a mixture of pregnancy hormones plus a genuine reaction, but whatever it was, she didn't want to let go of Ben. He made things better. He always did, and he always would.

**OTHOTH**

The mid-June air was sticky and humid, and as Sawyer pushed her hand outside the car window to feel the heat, she felt bad for the runners participating in the Diligence Dash this year. It was one humid day. On most occasions, she and Charlotte would be right down in the thick of things, passing out drinks and handing out registration packets, but this year was different. Graham was recovering from knee surgery amongst his other ailments that still lingered from the accident, Charlotte was seven months pregnant and wouldn't be sitting out in the heat for more than twenty minutes, and Sawyer played the pregnancy card too. Ben was running as he normally did, but Sawyer would be in the crowd, cheering on the boys and waiting for her Coastie to cross the finish line.

This Diligence Dash was different for another reason, too. Instead of that spunky, sea-blue convertible she loved so much, Sawyer was driving something new. Not new in the sense of age, but new to her. Convinced old or vintage cars were the only ones worth driving, Sawyer bit the bullet and temporarily retired her two-seater convertible for a larger car. Her beloved 1963 Karmin Ghia was resting her tires in the garage, and Sawyer's new four wheel drive, SUV was taking its place. Made in 1980, just barely making Sawyer's 'age' criteria for a car, the forrest green, and wood paneled Jeep Wagoneer came with airbags, broken in leather seats, an updated stereo system, and room for two carseats. It was everything she was looking for. It had been a tough call though. Sawyer had fallen hard for a 1964 Studebaker Lark that was in pristine, restored condition, but something about the Wagoneer snagged Sawyer from the moment she sat in the driver's seat. Ben had hoped for something a little more modern, but he knew which battles to fight. The car decision, was not one of them.

The Jeep was an adjustment, however. Sawyer sat higher up, guzzled a little more gas, and couldn't whip into parking spaces like she used to. She was making it work, though. And the good thing about the Diligence Dash was getting to park behind Clothes Over Bros. Sawyer wouldn't have to fight for a parking spot.

Blaring Elvis Costello and a block away from Brooke's store, Sawyer could already see the droves of people who'd come out to watch. Some of the roads were already blocked, but Sawyer was able to maneuver her way to the ally. Hopping the curb was another perk of the Wagoneer.

Once she'd parked, Sawyer hopped out of the car and headed inside. There were a few window shoppers who'd come in to look at clothes, and Sawyer pushed her sunglasses into her hair.

Brooke was standing behind the front desk writing down something when she heard someone walking in from the back. Smiling wide, the raspy-voiced brunette smiled. "Hi!" She quickly reached down beneath the counter and pulled out a bag. "I've got something for you."

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head. "You have to stop that." In the six odd weeks that Brooke had known about the pregnancy, Sawyer had received more clothes and baby clothes than she knew what to do with.

"You know I can't." Brooke had baby lovers syndrome. It was well known and well documented. Her reaction to Sawyer's pregnancy had been classic and would replay in Sawyer's head from time to time. Brooke had come to the studio to meet Peyton and Haley for lunch and Sawyer ended up tagging along.

_Peyton pulled into the parking lot of Elijah's and looked to the passenger seat at her daughter with a smirk "Ready to see a grown woman bawl in the middle of a restaurant?" Laughing, Peyton opened up the door and watched Sawyer get out._

_Furrowing her brow, Sawyer shook her head, "I doubt she'll bawl. Tears I can see, but she's not gonna have a full fledge come apart."_

"_You must not know Brooke very well, then." Peyton saw Haley and Brooke pull into the parking lot. "I think she's even gotten worse with age."_

_Sawyer just laughed and walked into the restaurant with her mom. Haley and Brooke weren't far behind and the four women sat outside underneath the breeze of a ceiling fan._

_Brooke was the first to speak and looked directly at Sawyer, "So...what's this rumor I hear around town, kiddo?" Smiling as the waiter handed them all menus, Brooke turned her attention back to the youngest of the four._

_Sawyer immediately felt her cheeks turn red. How did Brooke know? Someone told her, didn't they?_

"_Are they really getting someone else to emcee the Fourth of July barbeque contest this year?" For as long as Brooke could remember, either Peyton or Sawyer had been the face of the big summer event._

"_Oh..." Sawyer looked to her mom and Haley with wide eyes. They all thought Brooke had found out the other big news. "Yeah, kinda. Right now I'm not wanting to do it and I think Mom's gonna pass, too."_

"_What?" Brooke shook her head, "That's crazy. It won't be the same without a Scott girl up there to gather the crowds. "I mean...I'd say Charlotte should do it, but she'd be what...eight months pregnant?"_

"_I'll be five." Sawyer bit her lip to see if it registered with Brooke._

_Haley and Peyton watched the exchange between their friend and Sawyer._

_Brooke laughed and shook her head, "Five what?"_

"_Months along."_

_Sitting back in her chair, Brooke narrowed her eyes. She looked to Haley and Peyton who both looked like silly little school girls. And in an instant, Brooke's uncertainty turned to clarity. "Oh my God! You're pregnant!" Scooting her chair back, the fashion lover threw up her hands, "Ah!" She moved out from the table and went to hug Sawyer._

_Smiling, Sawyer couldn't help but laugh as Brooke squeezed her. "Careful. Don't want to squeeze too tight."_

_Brooke pulled away to show her teary eyes, runny mascara, and happy smile. "Oh, Sawyer... I can't believe it." Turning to her best friends she pointed to Haley and Peyton, "And damn you both for not telling me! I can't believe you two!" She laughed and returned to her seat, drying her eyes with her napkin. "So tell me everything!"_

Nearly two months later and Sawyer could still see Brooke's bleary face. She'd had a similar reaction to the news of twins, and she'd been showering Sawyer with clothing presents ever since.

"Here..." Brooke pushed the bag towards Sawyer and smiled. "Neutral colors since we don't know what the Trammell twins are yet, but I think you'll like them."

Digging through the tissue paper, Sawyer pulled out green and yellow onesies. The front had a cute black drawing of a record playerand the saying below it made the music lover grin. _Playtime_. Holding the soft material in her hands, Sawyer looked to Brooke with a smile. "These are great."

"I thought you might like them." Brooke kinked her eyebrow up as she smiled.

The bell to the front door rang and Peyton walked into the store. "Oh, Brooke... What did you make for her now?"

Holding up the two onsies, Sawyer turned to her mom and smiled. "You know you're jealous."

Grinning, Peyton eyed the two little outfits and nodded. "Yes. Why yes I am." Her two newest grandkids were certainly going to be stylish. "You know...if you put that on a tee and we put the Tric logo on the back or on the front somewhere I bet they wouldn't stay of the shelves."

The front door opened again and little feet ran inside. Little arms connected to those little feet wrapped around Sawyer's legs.

Looking down, the blonde, smiled. "Mad-Hatter...I didn't know you were coming." Sawyer picked up the four year old and turned to see Charlotte walk in with Scott holding her hand. The two year old little boy had the greenest eyes anyone had ever seen.

"Come here, mister..." Brooke walked out from the counter and smiled at the little boy. "Did you come to see the big race?"

"Me winned..." There was an old medal of Graham's that Scott had around his neck.

Charlotte smiled. "Or in other words, we needed to get out of the house."

"How's Graham doing?" Peyton looked to her niece and knew they were going through a lot.

"He's doing okay. His shoulder and knee were really bothering him this morning, and I think he was ready to have the house to himself."

"When will he be back to one-hundred percent?" Brooke smiled at the boy in her arms and then looked to Charlotte.

Resting her hand on her belly, Charlotte widened her eyes. "Hopefully before this baby comes."

Moving her mouth close to Sawyer's ear, Hattie whispered in a not so quiet voice. "I hope theres _two_ babies like you."

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up, kid. I'm pretty sure you're gonna have _one_ little sister."

"Let's hope so." Charlotte couldn't handle any more at the moment.

"Then can I have two _more_ little sisters from you?"

"Oh, I hope not." Sawyer barely wanted one girl much less two. "Could you settle for two boy cousins?" Sawyer wasn't sure what she was having, but she'd much rather have two boys or one of each than two girls.

Squinting as if she was pondering one of the most important questions she'd faced in her young life, Hattie shrugged her shoulders, "I guess so."

The adults all laughed and started to make their way to the sidewalk outside. The race was about to begin and they wanted to cheer on the runners familiar or not. Nathan and Haley walked over with Liza and Jamie's kids, Lucas and Julian found spots near their wives, and Bridget parked the stroller with Kit near Charlotte's stroller. Unsurprisingly, Jamie and Liza were close to the front of the pack. Their athleticism and general cuteness, made it nearly impossible for anyone to root against them. Keith wasn't far behind the UNC grads. He was a little redder in the face and visibly more sweaty, but he was doing really well. Spotting the crowd by Clothes Over Bro's, Keith saw his ten month old in his father's arms and ran close to wave.

Seeing her brother, Sawyer smirked and swatted at him as he passed her. "If you're not first, you're last!"

Turning around and sticking out his tongue, Keith narrowed his eyes at his older sister. "Whatever!"

Minute after minute and more runners passed the crowded sidewalks, but there was no sign of Ben. Normally he didn't think much of the Diligence Dash and would wind up in the back of the pack, but when Sawyer started seeing gray-haired ladies, she knew something was up. Something was off.

The time ticked by and then the announcer spotted the last runner, "And let's get it up for Principal Turner, ladies and gentlemen!" Old and gray, the aging man had to have walked the entire race.

Worried and concerned, Sawyer's eyes started to scan the runners and everyone around.

"Where's Ben?" Charlotte leaned over to Sawyer and was wondering the same thing.

"I don't know..." Sawyer stepped off the curb and started to walk towards the finish line. Maybe she'd missed him? Crowds of people started to disperse as the race ended but Sawyer was concentrated on finding her boyfriend. She walked onto the wooden planks of the Riverwalk and started to head for the boat. Maybe he was over there talking with some of his buddies? Sawyer continued to scan her eyes and then she spotted him. He was talking to a man in a uniform and Sawyer could tell they were talking about something important. It looked like the admiral, so whatever the conversation was, it must have been work related.

Holding back until Ben walked away from his superior, Sawyer walked towards Ben and waved a little when they locked eyes. As she got closer she could see that he was upset about something. She furrowed her brow and stopped just short of him. "Why does it look like you're about to tell me bad news?"

Glancing out across the water, Ben turned back to Sawyer and shrugged his shoulders. He was. He was about to tell her bad news. "They're sending me on patrol next month."

"What? For how long? I thought you said you weren't gonna have to go." Sawyer stepped closer with her brow still furrowed.

"I did to." Ben sighed and ran his hand over his head. He'd told his boss about Sawyer's pregnancy and had been told that he would be a reserve for the summer and fall patrols. Clearly his number had been called.

Sawyer crossed her arms and wanted to know how long he would be gone. "How long?" When did he even leave?

"We'd be leaving the second week in July."

"For how long?" He was avoiding the question, so it must have been for a while.

Ben took a deep breath and knew it was going to sting. "Five weeks."

"Five weeks!" Sawyer's face dropped. He never had to leave on a patrol for that long. She widened her eyes when she put the dates in her mind. "Ben, you're gonna miss the twenty-week doctors appointment." That was gonna be a big one. They'd find out what they were having then.

"Don't you think I know that, Sawyer!" His eyes cut to hers like a knife. "I don't want this. I wish I didn't have to go, but I don't have a choice. Okay."

Not liking his tone, Sawyer narrowed her eyes. "Well don't take it out on me!"

"I'm not!" He turned around and started walking away from her.

Watching him go made Sawyer's blood start to boil. "Where are you going?" Tossing his hand in the air, Ben didn't answer her. "Ben!" She watched him disappear into the crowds and Sawyer turned around. Fine. If he wanted to act like an ass, then that was his problem. Sawyer had better things to worry about.

Annoyed and hungry, Sawyer walked straight back to the store and jumped in her car. She peeled out of the parking lot hoping he might hear her off in the distance. The drive back home was even more annoying. She had to wait at nearly every intersection for pedestrians making their way home. When she finally did get to the house, she slammed the door shut and went straight to the kitchen.

"Of course there's no food in the damn house..." Opening the cabinets, Sawyer settled on the last pouch of instant oatmeal. As the microwaved worked its wonder, Sawyer couldn't help but think about what a jerk Ben had been. Not only did he yell at her, he'd walked away from her.

The microwave dinged and Sawyer added a little cinnamon and sugar to her runny oatmeal. She sat down at the kitchen table and started to stir her snack. The brown moving boxes and broom caught her attention. They'd been working on moving Ben in for the last month. Half of his stuff was still in cardboard boxes because they were having a hard time deciding where their separate stuff needed to go.

_Moving day was going really well. Most of the heavy lifting had already been done. Ben and his Coastie friends got most of his stuff in the house in no time. Now the big challenge was to determine where it all went. For the last hour or so Sawyer had been on couch giving the thumbs up or thumbs down to her boyfriend's knick-knacks. So far she'd been quite entertained with what he'd brought over. _

_Digging through a box, Ben pulled out a handful of books. He only owned about seven, and those seven were important to him. Three were coffee table books- one on the Coast Guard, one on the history of baseball, and one on the back country of Tennessee. "These are good..." Ben walked towards Sawyer and set the three books on the coffee table._

_Sawyer leaned over to flip through the pages of the book about the back country of Tennessee, and she was taken with the beauty of the pictures. She'd nearly lost track of what Ben had been doing until she saw him putting something gold and flashy on the mantle. Sawyer put the book down and shook her head, "Whoa...no way. That's not going there."_

_Ben turned and furrowed his brow. He'd just picked up his MVP trophy from the annual Coast Guard charity baseball game. "What? Why?"_

_Did he not see how grossly out of place that was. Her face soured, and Sawyer grimaced, "It just...doesn't go there." It really shouldn't go anywhere. Sawyer got up off the couch and walked over to him. She reached for the trophy and tried to take it from him. "This can go in a closet somewhere."_

_Holding out of her reach, Ben shook his head. "A closet? What happened, to compromise?"_

"_I've been pretty good about everything else. I mean..." Sawyer looked around to see some of Ben's stuff mingling with her own. "Look, that lamp is yours. This blanket..." Sawyer picked up the blanket that was folded over the couch arm. "...you've got lots in here."_

"_And this is going up here, too." He nodded and started to put the trophy back on the mantle._

"_Ben..." Was he testing her? Was he just doing it to get a rise out of her?_

_Turning to look at her, Ben flashed her a grin. "It's not gonna kill you, OJ. It's just a trophy."_

"_Fine, but do you have to put it there. Can't you find somewhere else to put it?"_

_If it was gonna bother her that much, Ben could put it somewhere else. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an annoyed, pregnant Sawyer. But he was gonna get his way. That trophy was going somewhere. "Alright. But wherever I put it, it's staying."_

"_Okay." She watched him disappear to the bedroom and Sawyer looked around. As long as he didn't put it under the covers on her side of the bed, she could probably handle it. Walking over to more boxes, Sawyer pulled the top flaps and looked at an array of dishes and kitchenware. He had a waffle maker, and some mismatched plates and cups. There bowls with chips on them and a blinder that looked as old as her car. His assortment of junk was halfway adorable though. Sawyer wrapped her arms around the box and knew it was a better fit in the kitchen._

_Ben walked down the hallway towards the main part of the house and saw his pregnant girlfriend lifting a rather large box. "Whoa...Whoa... Stop." He hurried over to get the box from her and shook his head. "You're not supposed to move stuff."_

"_It's fine. It's not even that heavy."_

_He didn't want to hear it. Ben put the box on the counter and started to pull the contents out. "I know this stuff is a little dated, but..." He pulled out a magenta colored plate. "It works."_

_Sawyer could only laugh and walked towards him. "Hand me the plates and you get the other stuff."_

_He only had about four plates and Sawyer started to put them up. The pea green one went first, then the navy blue, and his ugly brown plate even made it into the cabinet. Sawyer was in the middle of putting up that hideous magenta one when she heard a loud popping sound following a surge. Ben had plugged in his old blender and apparently it wasn't meshing well with Sawyer's electrical system. The overhead light in the kitchen started to buzz and then suddenly the light bulb shattered and left the two thirty-somethings in the dark._

"_Whoops." Ben started to laugh and looked to the ground. Not only did the light bulb bust, but the fixture on the ceiling shattered too._

"_What...the hell." Sawyer looked around her dark kitchen and then glared at her handsome boyfriend. _

"_I didn't mean to." He laughed and started to move around the mess looking for a broom._

_Sawyer set the plate down on the edge of the counter and started to move towards the mess. She laughed at the situation and shook her head, "Well this is a good start to us living together. We break the kitchen light and now have a huge mess in the kitchen."_

_Grinning, Ben pulled her close. "Wouldn't have it any other way." They both looked to the floor through the darkness and laughed. Ben turned his Braves baseball hat around and looked to Sawyer ready for clean-up time. "So where is your broom?"_

_Broom? Sawyer wasn't sure. "Uh...I don't think I have one."_

"_What? Ha..." Ben laughed and shook his head. "How do you not have a broom, OJ?"_

"_I don't know. I just don't."_

"_Well come on. Home Depot is still open. We're going to buy our first thing for the house together. Our first two things really; a broom and a light fixture."_

Now Sawyer felt like that broom was staring at her. It was propped up against the kitchen wall. Its black bristles had remnants of dust stuck to the ends, and the music lover thought about shaking it out over the back porch but the noise of the front door opening turned her attention.

Ben walked in and locked eyes with Sawyer for a moment. He turned to toss his keys on a nearby table and then made his way to the kitchen. He sat down across from his girlfriend and took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to yell at you earlier."

Sawyer pushed her oatmeal out of the way and she nodded. She knew she hadn't exactly taken the news of him leaving well. And that was the thing. He had every right to be upset about leaving. She wasn't the only one who got to be mad. "I know you don't want to go. I don't want you go to either."

"I hate that I'm gonna miss the doctor's appointment." Ben sighed and looked away from her. He was probably more excited about finding out what they were having than she was.

"We'll make it work, though. I'll be able to call you or we can Skype. We've done it before." In the eight years they'd known each other, they'd communicated just fine while he was out on the Diligence. Ben would leave on an assignment, but there was always a way to contact him.

The blue-eyed Coastie looked across the table to his pregnant girlfriend and smiled. "If it's two girls make sure your mom video tapes it so I can watch your reaction."

Laughing, Sawyer laughed and shook her head as she got up to put her bowl in the sink."I'm telling you...if it's two girls we're giving one back."

Getting up out of his chair, Ben walked over to Sawyer and wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and held her tightly. "Well whatever we have..." Ben's hands snaked around her hips and landed on her belly. "I only ask that they like baseball."

Turning around, Sawyer laughed, "_And_ basketball." He did remember she came from a basketball dynasty, right?

"Okay...and basketball. But _mine_ will like like baseball and and yours can like basketball."

"Oh, so now you're splitting them up?"

Smirking, Ben arched his brows, "Well...I'm just trying to play fair."

Nodding, Sawyer's eyes widened. "Fair would be you gaining at least forty pounds by the end of all this. Fair would be you having tender nipples, stretch marks, and constantly having to pee. Fair would be me having one of these babies and you having the other." Sawyer looked down to Ben's belt and grinned, "And I _know_ you don't want to think about having to push something out of your penis." Ben laughed at Sawyer's tone and felt her put her arms over his shoulders. She arched one of her brows and kissed him. "There is no fair play in this pregnancy game."

Ben watched Sawyer walk away and he shoved his hands in his pockets. She was sexy when she got defensive. He may not love her crazy mood swings and the late night runs to get cubed pineapple or Captain Ds, but he loved her. There was no doubt about it. And when those two little ones joined them, he could only imagine the hold she'd have on him. It wouldn't be long either. June would roll around and November would get here before they knew it.

But before November, they had to get through July. Ben would leave and Sawyer would be on her own.

**OTHOTH**

It was the morning Ben was supposed to leave for patrol, and he was doing everything he possibly could to stay quiet. As usual, he'd waited until the last minute to pack his things and now he was trying to find clothes in the darkness of their bedroom. The sun hadn't come up and Sawyer was still asleep. He'd wake her up in fifteen minutes or so, but he wanted to hold out as long as he could. She'd never been a morning person.

Throwing his clothes in his big duffle bag, Ben quietly tossed it over his shoulder and headed out of the bedroom down the hall. He could smell the coffee pot and was thankful some had already been made. He set his bag down and walked into the kitchen to see a familiar face stirring sugar into black coffee.

The older man with kind, blue eyes smiled at the person behind him and held out a coffee cup. "Morning, son." Russ Trammell had made the trip from Memphis to Tree Hill a couple days back. Not only was he getting in a visit with his only son before Ben left, but he enjoyed getting to see Sawyer too.

"Hey, Dad." Ben walked over to the other Tennessean and took the coffee cup from him. "Thanks."

"So are you ready?"

"For the trip?" Ben poured himself a cup of coffee and shook his head. "No."

Russ quietly laughed and sipped his steaming cup of joe. He looked around the house and back to his son. "You know... you've done good, Ben. I don't think I say it enough." The veterinarian patted his son on the shoulder and sipped on his coffee again.

"Learned from the best, right?" Ben held his cup towards his dad and grinned.

Russ smiled and shook his head. "Oh you've done better than I ever did. Sawyer's a good one. And I'm getting two grand-babies." Ben's dad smiled excitedly. He'd been thrilled about one grandchild, but when he found out it would be two, he couldn't be happier.

"And speaking of Sawyer..." Ben checked the time. "If I don't wake her up soon, she's gonna have one of her bad mornings."

"Well lets not have that." Russ quietly laughed again and watched his son walk back to the bedroom. He watched the sweet golden retriever walk towards him and Russ knelt down. Seeing as he worked with animals on a regular basis, Mr. Trammel could see the age in the dog's eyes. Trout must have been about seven now, forty-nine in dog years. "You're a good ole boy, aren't you, Trout?" Russ scratched behind Trout's ears and then rubbed his hand down the dog's golden back.

"Sawyer...?" Ben walked into the bedroom and walked over to where she was in the bed. He sat down and watched the mattress move with his weight. He leaned over to and kissed her temple. "Hey...we're gonna leave in thirty minutes."

Her eyes opened and she adjusted them to the dark setting. Sawyer could feel Ben sitting next to her and she looked up to him. "Now? You're leaving now?" She rubbed away sleep and started to sit up.

"No, not yet, in about thirty minutes. I just wanted to give you some time to get dressed if you still wanted to come."

Yes she still wanted to come. She wanted to send Ben off from the Riverwalk, not the bed. "Okay. I'm up. Just give me a sec." Sawyer flipped the covers off her legs and started to move out from under the blankets.

"No rush."

There was a rush. Ben may not have realized it, but the sooner she got ready, the sooner she could spend their last hour together. It would be another five weeks before they got to spend any significant amount of time together.

Ben walked back to join his dad and made sure he had everything he needed for the patrol. Five weeks was a long time. He wasn't so worried about his clothes. He was pretty sure he could manage if he was short a few shirts, what Ben was more concerned with was the little black and white picture he'd shoved in the side pocket of his bag to tack up next to his bunk. It was the size of an old polaroid picture, and he knew he'd put it somewhere. He felt a picture and pulled it from the pocket. It wasn't the right one, but it was another one he was taking. Instead of the babies, this one was of Sawyer. It was a headshot so to speak. Her eyes were closed, her tongue was out, her hands were spread out by her cheeks, and she was making a face at him. It probably didn't show Sawyer at her best, but for Ben it was exactly what he wanted. His other hand continued to search through his bag and he felt what he was looking for. Ben pulled out the other small photo and he admired Baby A and Baby B. He could feel his heart start to race and a grin spread across his face.

"Okay, I'm ready." Sawyer walked out the bedroom towards the kitchen with a pair of sweatpants, an old t-shirt, and her hair was up in a messy pony tail. She clearly didn't care about what she looked like and the evidence of sleep was clear as day when she yawned.

Ben stood up from searching his bag and tucked the two pictures in his wallet. "Don't you clean up nicely?" He walked over to her and kissed her quickly.

With tired, closed eyes, Sawyer nodded. "I'm up, I brushed my teeth, and I already peed..." She eyed the clock on the microwave and blinked a few times. "It's five thirty...seven in the morning. I'd say I'm doing pretty well."

She was. Ben couldn't deny that she was doing extremely well given the time and her condition. At five months along, Sawyer more or less wanted to stay in bed all the time. Especially on Saturdays. She must have really loved him to get up.

"Alright. I've got the keys, so whenever you two are ready..." Russ spun the car keys in his hand and smiled at the younger two.

Slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder, Ben put his hand on the small of Sawyer's back and started to lead her out the door. "Come on, OJ. Let's get this part over with."

The car ride downtown was a little bittersweet. Russ was at the helm of his rental car, and Sawyer and Ben were both in the back. She was leaning into him as the car made its way towards the water. Occasionally Russ would glance to the rearview mirror and catch their long looks and intertwined hands. It was kinda cute. The pair were acting a little like teenagers, but given the scenario, they were entitled to be affectionate. Even if subtle, the little things they were doing said everything their words didn't. In fact, Sawyer and Ben had hardly spoken to each other. There had only been a few whispery exchanges between them before Russ parked the car.

Once downtown, Sawyer looked out to the flowing water of the cape and knew that current would be taking Ben away from her soon. Russ popped the trunk to get Ben's bag and watched Sawyer get out of the car and head toward the wooden railings of the Riverwalk. The older Trammell handed his son the duffle and then hugged his boy. "Stay safe out there, Ben."

"I will." Ben looked to the Diligence and then back to his father. "And thanks for coming- for driving me."

"Not a problem. You know I love getting to see you two." He would be making the trip back to Memphis in the afternoon, but the days he'd been in Tree Hill, Russ had truly enjoyed. Tilting his head towards Sawyer, Russ smiled at his son. "I think she's waiting on you."

"Yeah." Ben nodded and started to make his way towards the water.

Sawyer was leaning on the rail watching the floating pieces of debris drift past her. Sticks, leaves, a couple of pieces of trash; they were all making their way past Tree Hill and away from the pier. Undoing her hair, Sawyer ran her hands through her tangled blonde curls and figured she might as well try to look a _little_ bit better. Her outfit didn't say much, but a little effort could go a long way. She watched a few more things float by and then she heard the thud of Ben's bag as he dropped it by his feet. He rubbed against Sawyer when he took his place next to her.

He didn't know what to say or how they wanted to do this. Did they get right to it and say goodbye then and there or did they linger for a bit? Sawyer wasn't saying anything, so maybe she wanted to stick around for little while. Ben looked out across the water and started to grin. "Remember that time we went paint balling and we came back covered in paint? It was the first time I met your mom and then we came down here to eat. We were drenched in different colors and I'm pretty sure the people around us thought we were crazy."

Sawyer nodded. "We were." She turned to her boyfriend and could see the age in his face, but to her Ben was still that young, handsome twenty-four year old who'd won her over with that dumb grin and child-like antics. He was still that poor guy she ended up nailing with her juice the morning of the Diligence. She sighed and looked past him to the boat, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "I don't want you to go. And I know I've said that a million times by now, but..." Sawyer had been in this place before. She'd sent him away from those very docks, but she'd never been pregnant, it had never been for so long, and she'd never felt so vulnerable.

"I know." He nodded pulled her into his arms. "You'll keep yourself busy, though. Maybe it won't seem so long."

She rested her head against his chest. "It's _five_ weeks. Most celebrity relationships don't last that long. I can't keep a plant alive that long. I barely know how to count to five." She laughed and wiped her eye with a smile.

"Well if that's the case, I better find a new baby mama. My kids are _required_ to count to at least..._six_." He laughed and started to grin with that sweet, boyish smile.

"Oh stop... You know you don't want anyone else having your kids."

He started to make a face as if he were thinking of the other possibilities but looked back to Sawyer seriously. "You're right." His hands found her stomach and he started to grin wider. "And if it's two boys, two girls, one of each, or a Leprechaun and a one of Snow White's seven dwarfs, I'm just excited to be their dad."

She looked up to him and nodded with a smile. "As soon as I find out, I'll let you know."

"And until then, always wear your seatbelt, eat even when you're not hungry- especially the green vegetables so our shortstop and center-fielder can start off on a good foot, and call Keith or Jamie, or your Dad, or anyone else for that matter if you ever need anything..."

"I will." Sawyer loved how he could mix in humor. It made the situation a little less bearable.

The booming horn of the Diligence blew and Sawyer and Ben knew what that meant. It was time for him to go.

He took a deep breath and raised his brows. "That's me. I gotta go."

Sawyer nodded and could feel her emotions start to cloud her vision with tears. She raised up on her tip-toes and kissed him and held onto him as long as she could. Ben made sure to let his hands rest on her belly for a minute and then left a lingering kiss on her forehead.

Sawyer watched him turn away but she stopped him. She pulled on his neck and kissed him one more time. When she moved away, she locked eyes with him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He softly smiled and then turned around and started walking towards the boat.

Fighting the urges to throw-up, follow him, or cry in the middle of the Riverwalk, Sawyer took a few deep breaths and headed straight for one of the empty benches near the fountain. She could feel her lips quiver, but Sawyer was trying to be strong. Damn those pregnancy hormones. Normally she wasn't such a sap. A couple minutes passed and then she saw the Diligence start to make its way to the coast. The bench shifted and Sawyer turned to see Russ sit down. He handed her a muffin and a little carton of orange juice from the nearby coffee shop. Seeing the orange juice was the nail in the coffin. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the gesture, of course she did, but the orange juice was too much. Her mind flew to Ben and the fact that he'd be gone for five weeks. At first her tears were few, coming and going as she blinked, but when the boat turned towards the bridge, Sawyer all but lost it.

Russ hadn't meant to make her upset. He was trying to take care of her. The vet scooted close and put his arm around her shoulders. "It's gonna be alright, Sawyer. He'll be back in no time."

She couldn't speak, she could only nod. Russ was so gentle-hearted that it almost made it worst, but she was glad he was there. Sawyer wasn't going to be able to do this alone. For the next twenty minutes or so Sawyer and Russ sat on the bench and watched the Diligence get further and further out of sight until they couldn't see it anymore.

Once they got back to Sawyer and Ben's house, Russ offered to cook breakfast. When it came to steak and eggs, Russ could compete with the best chefs. It had been nice to have Ben's dad around for the first few hours the Coastie was gone. Sawyer wasn't ready to be completely alone, so the slight transition was a nice. Mid afternoon came around and Russ said his goodbyes, told his grand-babies they better behave while he was gone, and that he'd see Sawyer come November.

The next few days weren't as hard as she thought they'd be. Sawyer kept herself busy at work, stopped by to see Charlotte and the kids often, and ate dinner with her parents most nights. Her initial thoughts on being alone while Ben was away were quickly dismissed as the days continued to roll on.

Pretty soon that all important doctor's visit came along. Peyton had been at her daughter's side since Ben couldn't, and when they'd heard the news, Sawyer couldn't wait to tell Ben. She hadn't been so peppy since high school.

They'd stopped by the store before going home, and Sawyer grabbed two little stuffed animals to help in telling Ben. Once Peyton dropped Sawyer off, the blonde immediately started up her computer to see if she could Skype with her Coastie. Hopefully the signal would work, and hopefully he could talk for a few minutes. Waiting for the line to pick up was excruciating, but once the password protected page came up, Sawyer knew she'd get a chance to talk to him. Typing the appropriate codes for the Coast Guard cutter, Sawyer waited patiently for somebody to appear.

"This is USCG Diligence. Who are you wanting to talk to?" Sawyer saw one of Ben's friends come on the screen and she smiled.

"Drew, it's me. Go get Ben!" Sawyer didn't want to have to go through the normal protocol. There were more questions she was supposed to answer, but this call was kind of a big deal. Drew knew why she was calling. Everybody on the boat knew what this call would entail.

"Alright. One sec..." Drew disappeared from his chair and Sawyer nervously waited.

Ben was down in the lower deck drawing up plans with a few others to grid the lower Atlantic with buoys when he saw Drew hurrying towards him.

"Come on, man. Sawyer's on the line upstairs."

If the chair hadn't been nailed to the floor, Ben would have knocked it over. He hustled up the old metal steps and quickly gathered a following of Coasties behind him. Turned out they all wanted to know the news, too.

Grabbing the head set, Ben sat down and saw Sawyer in the little box on the screen. His blue eyes were big and there was a lump the size of the Atlantic in his throat. This was it. This was the day he was going to find out what they were having.

Sawyer couldn't help but love the look he had on his face. She smirked and leaned close to the camera. "Well aren't you gonna say, hello?"

"H...hey." Ben was stuttering and it was adorable. He shook off his nerves and got right to the point. "So what did the doctor say?"

"Well..." Sawyer reached for the two little lambs she'd picked up at the store. "Baby A..." She put a little lamb with a blue bow tied around it's neck in front of the computer. "...is a boy."

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd of guys surrounded by Ben as they clapped for the news that at least one of the twins was a boy.

"Looks like you'll have _at least_ one to play baseball with." Sawyer smiled and then started to reach for the other lamb.

"What about the other one?" At this point he was looking at having two boys or one of each.

Sawyer took a deep breath and arched her brow. "And Baby B..." She put the second little lamb next to the other one. "...is a girl." The pink bow tied around the lamb's neck was the perfect visual clue.

An even louder cheer came from the guys around Ben, and they all were congratulating him and shaking his shoulders. He tried to calm everyone down and once he did, he shoed them away so he could talk with Sawyer. Ben was staring at those little lambs so intensely and then looked to Sawyer. "A boy and a girl?"

She nodded and laughed. Putting her hands on her stomach she looked down and then back to Ben, "You get your girl. I get my boy..."

"And you said pregnancy wasn't fair." He laughed and crossed his arms.

Shrugging her shoulders, Sawyer smiled. "I can be wrong...sometimes...not often, but occasionally."

Grinning, Ben couldn't believe it. "A boy and a girl...wow."

"I guess we're gonna have to start thinking about names, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so." The thought of naming their children had only briefly crossed his mind, but now that they knew what they were having, things were starting to feel even more real. Ben started to think of boy names as said the first one that came to mind. "Bruce is a solid name."

Sawyer laughed and shook her head. "Bruce sounds like a bodybuilder who wears a tiny pink bikini and gets spray tans." She closed her eyes and knew she would never have a son named Bruce. "We can decide when you get home. Just be thinking and then we'll start making a list."

"Yeah, okay." Ben was still letting the news sink in and he could see the glow on Sawyer's skin. She was just as happy about the news as he was. He leaned close to the screen and raised his brows. He didn't even have to say it.

Sawyer nodded and looked at their little lambs. "I'm excited too."

A thousand miles apart, but feeling the same thing, Sawyer and Ben were ready. They were excited. It wasn't gonna be easy, and things might not go as planned, but they were gonna make it work. Pretty soon little boy Trammell and little girl Trammell would come into the world whether their parents were ready or not.

**OTHOTH**

**So...it's twins and they're having a boy and a girl. I've had this planned since chapter 3. The moments I knew I was gonna have Sawyer and Ben end up together, I knew I was gonna give them twins and that it would be one of each. I've already got the babies names, but as usual I get super nervous you guys will hate them. I legitimately think name fictional characters fictional babies is one of the hardest parts of writing. Ha. Next chapter Ben will come home and we'll probably get to the birth of the Trammell twins.**

**Reviewers: You guys are fantastic. You know it. I know it. I love you guys. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Guest 1: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you like the drama that had happened so far. There is more still to come! Stay tuned!**

**Guest 2: I hope you enjoyed finding out about the twins and that Graham was okay. **

**Guest 3: Thanks for the review!**

**Anon: Haha..I know...enough with the cliffhangers for the last few chapters, right. At least this one doesn't end with a cliffhanger. At least at this point we know everyone is okay.**

**CMF: Yay, I'm so thrilled to know that Sawyer is your favorite character from the entire LM franchise. That means a lot considering I made her my own. Hahaha...you're right, there really is no such thing as a drama-free pregnancy in Tree Hill. Liza's pregnancy with Bennet was probably the least drama filled and they were living in South Carolina then...lol. Yay again. I soooo happy you like Leyton. I'm most comfortable writing Naley so compliments about Leyton (and Brulian too) are great. Way to boost my confidence. We should be seeing more of them next chapter, Leyton that is. **

**Guest 4: Sorry for the wait. Life's been crazy. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Lucy: Sorry for the wait. I hope you liked the chapter!**

**Review please!**


	22. Can You Be True

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 22: Can You Be True**

**Disclaimer: Nothing has changed here. I own nothing related to the show.**

**A/N: Hey all. Has everyone let the news of twins for Sawyer and Ben settle in yet? I don't think it's really even sunk in for them, and this chapter we'll see them deal with it. Ben's still on patrol so Sawyer will battle her mood swings and cravings alone for a while, but we'll see the two reunite, and we might even get to meet the Trammell twins. Read on to find out. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

It was about ten in the morning and Sawyer could feel the warm summer sun on her skin as it shined through the window upstairs. She hadn't had a good night. Between the late July heat and having to pee every thirty-seven minutes, the mother-to-be was hoping to find a record or two that could lull her Sunday morning back to sleep.

Sitting on the hardwood floor of her beloved music room, Sawyer had made her way through the majority of her collection, but nothing had inspired her to get up. Inspired might not be the right word, though. Sawyer was just plain tired. The floor was perfectly fine for now, and something about going through all that music was soothing. She didn't have to pee. She wasn't hot. She wasn't uncomfortable. She was doing just fine. For now at least.

Surrounded by her first great loves: Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Radiohead, and The Velvet Underground, Sawyer leaned over to another bin and started to scan the other albums. The image of an acoustic guitar with broken red strings and a black background stood out. Sawyer pulled the old thing out and smeared the dust away from the album leaf. Intrigued by its mystery, Sawyer knew the record had to be one of Ben's. She'd never seen it before.

Staring at _The Crooked Road_, a title that seemed rather appropriate for Sawyer's path in life, the music lover slowly got up and put the record on. The needle scratched the surface of the 45 and then music started to play. A mix between country and folk, an older man's voice and a beautifully picked guitar started to ring through the small room. Something about the mix of the melodies and the way the lyrics about giving love without regret took Sawyer's emotions by surprise. Completely taken by the music, swaying to the beat, and holding her stomach, a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Wiping away the tear, Sawyer laughed at her girlie reaction. Then with another blink, Sawyer's eyes watered even more. Feeling more tears flow from her lids, the blonde furrowed her brow with a laugh and a cry, "What the hell?" She shrugged her shoulders and then moved over to the shelves of records as if trying to preoccupy her thoughts, but the music had a hold on her. Her eyes continued to water. It had to be the simple guitar and the singer's southern tone that were doing Sawyer in. It wasn't clear just what had Sawyer's emotions caught up in the music, but one could assume that the songs reminded her of that goofy, guitar playing, sweet, southern, Coastie of hers. The Coastie who had been out on the Atlantic for nearly four weeks.

As the music played in her head and around the room, Sawyer picked out a few more records with bleary eyes and sniffles. She sat back down and looked around to decide which one she could listen to. Right now she needed a mood changer.

Def Leopard? That might do the trick? She reached for the _Hysteria_ album. Scanning the back of the record, Sawyer watched the song titles merge together with her tears, and she tossed the music on the floor, raising her hands to her face. "Ugh...Jesus, what's wrong with me?" Crying, Sawyer couldn't figure out how to shake her sad mood. All she seemed able to do was to cry. "Ugh..." Her mind was playing tricks on her. It couldn't be just about Ben, could it? Sure, she missed, him, but Sawyer had always been a very independent person. Since when did she _need_ someone else? That thought alone coughed up another sob from Sawyer. She didn't _want_ to need someone. This whole pregnancy thing had her world turned upside down.

Rubbing her nose across her hand and up her arm, Sawyer felt the snot on her skin and she laughed at herself. She was a mess. She was an absolute mess. Picking up the nearest record, she used it to fan air towards her face but the tears kept coming. Mumbling to herself, Sawyer took a few deep, methodical breaths hoping to calm herself. She even held her breath to see if that would help.

Just when things started to settle down, Sawyer heard her phone ring. If it was Ben calling to check in, she might have a full blown melt down. She spotted her phone across the room by a bin of records and she crawled over to it. Sawyer didn't even look at who was calling. She went ahead and answered it.

"Hello?" Closing her eyes, Sawyer took a deep breath.

"Hey, it's me." Charlotte's voice was soft and quiet. "I didn't wake you up, did I?" The brunette knew her cousin was hardly a morning person.

Sawyer's quivering voice replied back, "No. I'm up."

Hearing the crack in Sawyer's voice, Charlotte furrowed her brow. "What's wrong?"

"Ugh... I don't even know." Sawyer felt her eyes prickle with tears and she let out a defeated laugh. Scooting back to lean against the wall, Sawyer shrugged, "I...I can't stop crying."

Charlotte smiled and could understand the feeling. Seeing that she was less than a month away from having baby number three, she'd had her fair share of pregnancy cry fests. "It'll pass."

Sniffing loudly into the phone, the blonde shook her head, "When? It's like it won't stop." Sawyer used her thumb to smear her tears against her reddened cheeks.

Not wanting to laugh, Charlotte bit her lip. "You'll get hungry and you'll forget why you were even crying in the first place."

Nodding, Sawyer laughed, "Actually...I _could_ go for a Pop-Tart about now." Her stomach and the babies had been quiet as of late, but she was sure the pangs of hunger were on their way.

This time, Charlotte laughed with her cousin and then questioned Sawyer, "Didn't Ben leave you specific instructions on eating big, healthy, full of protein meals? Pop-Tarts probably aren't on the list."

"What he doesn't know, won't kill him."

Agreeing and knowing it best not to argue with Sawyer, Charlotte got to point of the phone call. "Well, are you still game for keeping the kids today?"

Forgetting that she'd agreed to watch Hattie and Scott while Charlotte and Graham could have the day to themselves, Sawyer's eyes went wide. "Uh...yeah. Yeah, sure."

Hearing the hesitation in Sawyer's voice, Charlotte's mouth fell open. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"No..." Feeling bad that she straight up lied, Sawyer closed one eye, "Yes. It may have slipped my mind but, it's fine. It's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. They'll be a welcomed distraction. I mean...not a _distraction_, but you know. Good practice."

"Right." Charlotte laughed and then looked to her watch. "I was thinking I'd bring them over about one and then pick them up after dinner."

"Sounds good."

"Alright, we'll see you then. And hey..." Charlotte paused for a second, "He'll be back before you know it."

"Ugh..." Feeling her eyes water. "Dammit, Charlotte. You're gonna make me cry again!" In true Sawyer fashion, the music lover hung up the phone and sighed out loud. She rolled her eyes and slowly got her pregnant self up off the floor. Sawyer had some cleaning up to do and some errands to run if two little ones were gonna spend the day with her. Over the weekend various fast food bags and candy wrappers had overcome the house. Hattie and Scott deserved a little bit better. Sawyer did too, but quite frankly a spotless house was the least of her worries as of late. She'd never been a neat freak and pregnancy had only made her disdain for housework even worse.

Once the house was semi-inviting and after she made good use of a Glade plug-in she'd found in a kitchen drawer, Sawyer was off to the store to get things for the week and a few things for the kiddos. Before pregnancy, grocery shopping had been easy. In and out in ten minutes, and Sawyer wouldn't look back. It was a different story now. Like a baby in a candy store, lately Sawyer found herself wandering the many aisles and picking out things she didn't need and later...things she didn't even want. There was a whole shelf in pantry filled with cheese balls, canned peanuts, dried cranberries, and MoonPies. It was ridiculous, but Sawyer's growing belly was a metal detector to treasure that was anything and everything food related. It was a wonder she got in and out of the store in less than an hour.

Not five minutes had passed since she'd gotten home from the store that Charlotte's car pulled up to Sawyer's house.

Little feet ran up the walkway to the house. "Sawer look..." The precious dark-haired, green eyed little boy held out a toy boat and walked up to his mother's best friend. "My boat."

"Whoa...what a cool boat, Scott." Sawyer watched the two and half year old wander through the front yard and push the toy boat through an imaginary ocean. Then she watched Charlotte walk over towards them. "Take your time, Charlotte. We've got all the time in the world." Sawyer jokingly used her sarcasm to say hello to her eight months pregnant, waddling friend.

"Careful what you say, Sawyer. You're gonna be twice as big as me when you're this far along." Charlotte pointed at Sawyer's stomach and slowly continued to make her way towards the house she once shared with her best friend.

Laughing, Sawyer new it was the truth so she didn't have a snarky comeback. The little brunette walking along side Charlotte holding a tightly packed mini suitcase caught Sawyer's attention. "Mad-Hatter, what in the world did you pack? Everything in your bedroom?"

Smiling that cute smile of hers, Hattie's brown eyes widened. "Almost." The four and a half year old lugged the suitcase towards the door and walked in Sawyer's house with her mom and little brother behind her.

Charlotte immediately took a seat on the couch and rested her hands below her belly with a smile. "I take it you stopped crying?"

"Ha... Yes. That was so weird this morning. I...I don't even remember what I was upset about."

"Get used to it." Charlotte grinned and looked to her two little munchkins. "I remember reading an recipe for grilled asparagus last week and I just started bawling. I...I don't...I can't even rationalize why it happened. I was so upset that Graham thought I'd fallen and hurt myself."

"Oh, lord." Sawyer laughed and widened her eyes and then looked to her own stomach. "These guys have a tag-team going on. " Sawyer ran her hand over her belly, "As soon as one of them is still, the other starts kicking or disagreeing with my food choices...or life choices for that matter." Feeling a soft kick, Sawyer laughed, "See..." Looking over to Hattie, Sawyer tilted her head. "Come here, Hat. Come feel the baby."

Hurrying over, Hattie put her little hand on Sawyer's belly and felt the movement. Sighing with excitement, those big brown eyes started to glisten. "I feel it." Looking up to Sawyer, Hattie raised her brows, "Is this the girl?"

"Uh...I don't think so. Last time I checked she was on the other side and he was on this side." Sawyer shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, though. They could have moved around."

"How much longer till we meet them?"

"Not for a while, Hat..." Charlotte started to move off the couch, "They'll be here when it's time for Thanksgiving."

"Well my baby sister is gonna be here _real_ soon." Hattie looked back to Sawyer and nodded.

"Mmm-hmm..." Sawyer started to smirk and raised one eyebrow at Charlotte, "And when your mom's water breaks...it _better not_ be on my couch this time."

"That was _completely_ on accident. You can't...time those kinds of things."

Hattie turned to her mom with worried eyes. "You _broke_ your water. Did you need a band-aid?"

"No, baby..." Charlotte laughed and started for the door. "I was fine. Everything was fine."

"Except my couch." Sawyer shook her head at the memory and then waved goodbye to Charlotte.

The next few hours went by fairly quickly. Most of the time was spent outside. Trout turned out to be an excellent playmate for Scott. At first fetch was their game, but then Trout ended up chasing the little boy around the back yard. Echoes of Scott's laughter would rise and fall as the golden retriever ran towards him. Both Sawyer and Hattie were fairly entertained watching them. Every now and then Hattie would pretend to paint Sawyer's nails and put make-up on her favorite aunt.

"How about...pink?" Holding out her hand as if she were showing off the imaginary color choices for eye shadow, Hattie smiled.

"Mmm..." Making a funny face but playing along, Sawyer nodded. "Pink would be _great_." She shut her eyes and waited for Hattie to apply the pretend make-up.

Looking around, Hattie slyly stuck her finger in a near by flower pot and then proceeded to rub her finger across Sawyer's eyelids.

Feeling something wet, Sawyer's mouth fell open. "Hattie..." A little nervous to open her eyes, the music lover slowly sat up. "What. Did you. Put on me?"

"Uh... Well..." Hattie clasped her hands together and smiled. "It's just a little dirt."

"Hattie!" Still closing her eyes, Sawyer stood up, held her hands out, and started to make her way inside. She knew the way around her back porch pretty well. "This is not okay. Not. Okay." Slowly making her way to the door, Sawyer stepped on something and then heard the crunch of plastic breaking. "Shit, what...I mean, _shoot_. What was that?" Squinting so dirt wouldn't get into her eyes, Sawyer was able to look down to see what she'd stepped on. "Oh my God..." Bending down and rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes, Sawyer picked up the broken toy boat Scott had brought over.

Hattie had seen it all happen and she opened her mouth to tell her little brother the devastating news.

Sawyer saw Hattie about to speak and she snapped her finger at the little girl. "Don't you dare say a word."

Hattie frowned and she furrowed her brow.

"Not a word." Sawyer quickly hurried into the house and grabbed a paper towel to clean her eye-lids off. She couldn't believe Hattie had actually put dirt on her eyes. What a little turd. "Ugh..." Sawyer was pretty sure she got the dirt off, but now she was looking at a broken little boat that was going to break Scott's tiny heart. Did she have any super glue? Probably not, but Sawyer had to look. Problem was, where did she look? This was the kind of thing Ben could fix. She started rustling through the kitchen drawers and then heard dog paws and footsteps come inside.

"Sawer, I felled."

Looking over to the little boy, Sawyer saw Scott's red hands and she winced. "You did, didn't you, bud? Here. Come here." Sawyer went over to pick up the two and a half year old up. "Did Trout knock you down? He's kinda goofy like that sometimes."

"No."

"Alright...well, come here." Sawyer lifted Scott on the kitchen counter and started to dust off his dirty hands. "Do you need a band-aid or anything?"

"I...I..." Stammering, Scott got distracted by the broken toy on the other side of the sink. "Is that mines?" Those green eyes of his started to water.

Turning to look at the broken toy and then back to the upset, little child, Sawyer bit her lip. "Maybe."

Scotts watering eyes were drowning in pools of big salty tears and he started crying. At first it was a whimper but then it grew into a deafening wail. It was as if the last toy on the planet had been broken.

"Hattie!" Sawyer yelled for the little girl who was still outside.

The Charlotte look-alike stuck her head in the doorway and then scrunched up her forehead, "Are you mad at me?" She'd been worried her aunt was upset about the dirty eyeshadow.

"No. Yes, but not really. Just help me calm your brother down."

Hattie walked into the kitchen and put her hand on her brother's leg. "Scott. You have other boats at home." The little boy's wails only got louder and Sawyer looked to Hattie for more assistance. Lifting her shoulders, the four and a half year old thought of something. "Tell him a story. That's what Daddy does."

"A story. I don't know any stories." Sawyer's racked her brain for something and then gave it her best shot. "Um... One day a rat... Oh wait no, not a rat, a centipede." Rolling her eyes at herself for her poor ability to choose a decent animal to the be main character of her story, Sawyer kept going. "A centipede named...Fred went to the beach. And you know what he did, Scott?" Directing the question at the little boy, Sawyer hoped it would take Scott's attention away from the broken toy. "At the beach he found a...castle. It was huge. Nobody was home, and he ended up living there happily ever after. The end."

Hattie scrunched up her nose and looked up to the older woman. "That's it?"

"Yeah. Fred got his happily ever after."

"That's not a very good story, Aunt Sawyer."

Scott nodded his head and sniffed. He agreed with his sister. Sticking out his tongue, Scott made a noise that sounded like it came out of the other end of his body.

"Ugh..." Sawyer laughed and crossed her arms. "It wasn't _that_ bad."

"It was pretty bad." Hattie didn't agree.

Wanting to say something, but unable to find the right words to say to a four and a half year old, Sawyer stood with her mouth agape. The music lover crossed her arms as a defense mechanism. She stared at the little boy and girl in front of her and then felt a smile curl over her lips. Soon that smile turned into laughter. How could she be mad at such cute little people. Even with their scrunched up noses and distaste in her storytelling ability, Hattie and Scott made it impossible for Sawyer to genuinely get mad.

Taken by her aunt's laughter, Hattie started to giggle and then looked to her little brother who chimed in as well. Pretty soon the three of them were in a fit of laughter.

Eventually things died down and then they tackled dinner together. Scott seemed to forget about his broken toy and Hattie's adventures with dirt eyeshadow were long gone. Towards the end of the night Sawyer and the kids had snuggled up on the couch and were watching a Disney classic that Hattie had packed in her all important suitcase. Scott fell asleep first and Hattie didn't make it long after that. Sawyer was drifting off as "Be Our Guest" played through the television when the front door opened.

Graham walked into Sawyer and Ben's house and smiled at his two kids when he spotted them sleeping. Sawyer started to sit up and rubbed her eyes. "Hey."

"Hey." Graham laughed at Sawyer's messy hair and dis-shelved appearance. She looked like a kid herself. "Y'all have a good time?"

"Yeah." Sawyer sat up and then realized she had to pee. "Ugh...I'll be right back."

Whispering, Graham nodded and moved over to pick up his son. "I'm gonna take him to the car. I'll come back and get Hattie."

"Alright." Sawyer headed to the bathroom and came back in time to see Graham take his oldest to the car. She turned off a light and walked with him to the door. "Hey, Graham...?"

He turned around and lifted his brow, "Yeah?"

Leaning in the doorway, Sawyer shrugged. "How do y'all do it so well? I mean, two is hard enough as it is, and now it's about to be three."

Graham smiled and shifted Hattie in his arms hoping she didn't wake up. "You just do. The world becomes less about you and all about them."

Sawyer's hands rested on her belly and she could understand what he was saying.

The two old friends said quiet good-byes and then Sawyer shut the front door, locked up, turned off the lights, and walked with Trout back to the bedroom. It was dark, but Sawyer was able to make it to the bed. Just as she laid down, she heard the familiar tone on her laptop and it brought a smile to her face. She slowly moved over to the bedside table and pulled the computer into her lap. She opened it up and waited for the screen to turn on. After typing in a few things, a picture came up and Sawyer smirked.

"Hey." Ben was smiling into his computer and could see Sawyer in the darkness of their bedroom.

"Hey."

He could see that she looked tired. "Big day?"

"Yeah. I was babysitting Hattie and Scott for most of it."

"How'd that go?"

Laughing, Sawyer yawned, "Well at first it was great. They were all smiles. I was all smiles. Then Hattie decided to pretend to put make-up on me, but then changed the rules on me and I ended up with dirt all over my eyelids." Sawyer watched Ben laugh. "Oh it gets worse. So I'm on my way into the kitchen from the porch to get the crap off my face and I step on something. It's Scott's like...most prized toy ever. Well it's totally broken and he ends up having a come apart. Then the crazy part; we all end up laughing for a good three minutes when we're back inside." Sawyer started to smile and leaned closer to the laptop, "Oh...and I totally suck at telling stories. That will have to be your thing with the kids. I tried to come up with something but it was just...bad."

Folding his arms across his broad chest, the blue-eyed Coastie smiled. God he loved her. "Alright. And what was for dinner?" He leaned closer to his screen to get a better look at what was stuck to her shirt. "Cheerios?"

Looking down, Sawyer picked at the food that found its way onto her shirt. "Spaghetti Os, actually."

"Mmm..." Wishing she'd had something that hit a few more portions of the food pyramid, Ben could only smirk.

"It was pretty good. I'd been wanting something salty all day."

Ben just laughed and shook his head. "Well do you feel like you're more prepared now since you babysat tonight?"

"No." Sawyer bugged her eyes and looked seriously into the computer camera. "It's exhausting and time consuming, and that's having two kids who can talk and walk and feed themselves. I don't know how we're gonna do it with two babies at the same time."

"We'll figure it out." He nodded and then saw his girlfriend yawn. "We've got some time to sort it out."

Sawyer rested her head in her hand and sighed. "The nursery, baby proofing, we don't even have names yet."

"Actually, I was thinking of one today for her." Ben watched Sawyer yawn one more time and he grinned sweetly, "But I'll tell you tomorrow."

Nodding, Sawyer smiled. "Alright. I love you."

"I love you, too." Ben watched the screen go dark and he looked out to the dark ocean. The stars lit up the night sky and he leaned back in the chair folding his hands behind his head. A week and a half. Eleven days and he'd be home. It couldn't come soon enough.

**OTHOTH**

July rolled into August and the summer heat wasn't letting up. The nights had turned sticky and humid. The cicadas had amped up their volume and the random thunder showers kept everything hazy and steamy. The past few days had been terrible, but tomorrow was guaranteed to be a good day. Why? Ben was coming home.

Ready to see him, Sawyer had turned in early. She'd eaten dinner, actually did the dishes, and even tidied up the house a bit. Eager to see her Coastie, Sawyer was now trying to fall asleep but she felt like a child on Christmas Eve. Every time she closed her eyes different versions of how the morning might play out ran through her head like a movie. Sometimes she'd imagine herself running up to him. Other times he'd run over to her. However it happened something was always the same; they'd kiss, he'd wrap his hands over her belly, and then look into her eyes reminding her exactly why she'd fallen for him in the first place.

As the scenes of seeing him played through her mind, Sawyer tossed and turned in the bed with excited anxiety. The five weeks he'd been away had felt like years. Would he be able to tell how much bigger she'd gotten? Would he care that she was starting to look like a blimp? So many things started running through her mind, and before she knew it time had crept up on her. Her early, 9pm bedtime vanished and it was nearly midnight.

Sighing and throwing the sheets off her legs, Sawyer got up out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. The refrigerator light illuminated the kitchen with a soft glow, and the music lover pulled out a few squares of Kraft cheese. There were other tasty options that gained her attention, but she was able to wish her sweet tooth away. Yesterday Sawyer had been bad and ate three of the cupcakes Bridget sent home with her after Kit's first birthday party. Tonight she was going for dairy.

Sawyer took her cheese and walked over to the couch. There were a couple books on the coffee table and she reached for one. If she couldn't sleep, she might as well read. Maybe her eyes would tire and she could go to bed soon?

Instead of reaching for the book on the back country of Tennessee or the history of the Coast Guard, Sawyer reached for the book she'd gotten yesterday. It wasn't really even a book; not yet at least. You might could say it was a final draft. A story about finding your way in the midst of personal triumph, tragedy, and love, the latest read Sawyer had picked up was a story she knew all too well. Her dad had given it to her yesterday.

_While the rest of the family watched Keith and Bridget's son play with his first birthday cake, Sawyer walked back inside to track down the bowl of Chex-Mix. Those brown crunchy pieces were calling her name._

_Lucas had seen his oldest go inside and after grabbing something, he followed her into the kitchen. She was meticulously picking out the brown bagel chips, and Lucas started to smirk. "Are you gonna save some for the others?"_

_Startled by the voice behind her, Sawyer turned around with wide eyes. "Dad..." She brushed the salt off her hands and laughed. "Don't you know you're not supposed to scare a pregnant woman." She looked down to her belly and then back to her father. "I know you're excited about more grand-kids, but...we've still got a ways to go." The babies weren't due until November and she'd like to keep it that way._

_Lucas squinted and then nodded is head with another smirk. "Well...I wanted to give you something."_

"_Yeah?" Sawyer looked to what he was holding._

_Handing her a nicely bound copy of a book, Sawyer's dad smiled. "It's done." He laughed and scratched his head. "It took a while, but it's finally finished. I...I wanted you to have the first copy." The book he'd been working on for over five years was finally complete._

_Taking the book, Sawyer felt a lump form in her throat. Her fingers ran over the raised edges of the embossed titled, and she looked at the cover art with a smile. The picture had been taken in the early hours of the morning. The sun had been coming up and those yellow tones illuminated the back porch of a home she had come to know well. But it wasn't just the colors or the picturesque backdrop, it was the two cups on table that made her smile. There was a sudden warmth in her chest and Sawyer looked to her dad. "I love it." _

"_Yeah?"_

_Nodding, Sawyer looked back to the book. "Yeah." Her father had always had a way with words and the same could be said for picking book titles. He'd asked her a few weeks ago about the title and if she wanted to pick, but considering she was struggling with naming her own children, titling the book had been the last of her worries. He'd done a great job. It was perfect. "Thank you." Sawyer walked over to her dad and hugged him._

_Feeling the smile on his face widen, Lucas moved his hands from out of his pockets and around his oldest. Getting a thank you and a hug from Sawyer really meant something. Even though Sawyer was thirty-two, Lucas relished the moments when she seemed like the little girl who fit perfectly in his arms._

_Feeling her emotions starting to rear their ugly head, Sawyer had to step away and brush away an incoming tear. "Ugh...before I turn into a complete mess..." She breathed deeply and shrugged her shoulders. _

_Lucas smiled and then changed subjects as he placed his hands on Sawyer's growing belly. "So how are my two grand-kids doing?"_

"_Good. Ready to see their dad tomorrow." Speaking for herself mostly, Sawyer couldn't hide her excitement._

_Nodding, the writer looked to his daughter. "Ben will be home in the morning, right?"_

"_Yeah." Sawyer chomped down on another brown bagel chip and then crossed her arms. "I probably won't sleep tonight."_

_Lucas laughed. He shrugged his shoulders. "Well if you're anything like your mom, you'll be fine. When she was pregnant with both you and Keith, she slept like a rock. Really..." He held his arms out and closed his eyes making a goofy face trying to imitate the way his wife had slept all those years ago. "I barely got any of the bed. She wouldn't move."_

_Walking into the kitchen, Peyton grabbed some more paper towels and stared at her husband. She kinked her brow and laughed at his awkward stance,"Do I even want to know?"_

"_Dad was just telling me how you slept like a rock when you were pregnant."_

"_I did." Peyton grinned. "I wouldn't budge. He'd blow his old coach's whistle just to get me up."After grabbing what she needed and walking back towards the back door, Peyton tilted her head. "Come on...Kit's got a goatee of blue icing that matches Keith's."_

_Sawyer laughed and followed her parents back outside. Her nephew had a better goatee than her brother. It had taken Keith twenty-nine years to grow decent looking facial hair and even then, his son's blue icing had him beat._

The memory of Keith and Kit's battle of the goatees made Sawyer smile and then she looked down to the book in her lap. It still seemed so surreal that an actual novel had been written about her life- or parts of it, at least. She hadn't a chance to read any of the final version since she'd gotten it yesterday, but now that she was battling insomnia, Sawyer had some time to kill.

Flipping over the cover page, Sawyer stopped at the dedication. _For Sawyer._ Just under the typed words were a few sentences inked in her father's handwriting. _I couldn't have done this without you. This story is more than characters and words on a page. Of all the books I've written, I'm proudest of this one and the story that it tells. I love you. Dad. _

Sawyer felt a smile on her face and she took a deep breath. She loved her dad too. Flipping past the cover page, Sawyer settled on the first chapter and let her father's voice narrate the text.

_"Sawyer Scott was destined for a life filled with a sense of unavoidable turmoil from the very beginning. The day she came into this world helped set up the motions that would forever trace the path of a flawed heroine. _

_By the time she'd left for college, Sawyer had become one of the most independent spirits anyone could ever know. She wasn't one to listen when she was asked to do something, she didn't like to be wrong, and her passion for music often strayed her off course. It hadn't been intended, but music would simply lead Sawyer down a unequivocal road lined with wrong-doings and learning curves..."_

Before she could get to the rest of a story she knew all too well, Sawyer's exhaustion kicked in. No longer was her eager anxiety keeping her up. She fell asleep and that book she had started ended up on the floor next to the couch. It wasn't until the next morning that it was moved.

Nine o'clock the next morning rolled around and Sawyer was still sound asleep on the couch. The morning light was soft and warm, and Sawyer wasn't budging from her comfortable spot. Somehow she'd managed to fall asleep and stay asleep in the living room. But what wasn't in the living room was her phone and her alarm clock. That Riverwalk reunion she'd been so eagerly anticipating last night wasn't going to happen.

That Coastie she'd been so happy to welcome home was now waiting and wondering where Sawyer was. Ben had walked off the boat to find that Sawyer wasn't there. Initially he gave her a few minutes because he knew she could have been running late. But then ten minutes turned into twenty, thirty, and eventually an hour rolled by. The blue-eyed Coastie had called Sawyer's phone fifteen or so times but there was never an answer. Now terrified that something was wrong, Ben caught a ride from the nearest car and paid them all the cash he had in his wallet to take him home.

He could feel his heart thumping away under his shirt when the car pulled on to the street, and all he could think about was finding her unconscious or worse. Not only did he have the images of finding Sawyer after the hurricane in his mind, but her family history and pregnancy hadn't exactly had a good record. Lucas's mom had complications with Lily, and Peyton nearly bled out when she'd had Sawyer. So all of those things had Ben's world in a panic.

When the car stopped in front of the house, he all put threw the money at the nice guy who'd given him a ride and hurried up the walkway. The Tennessee born Coastie dropped his bags along the walkway and was concentrated on getting inside. Sawyer's car was there so he figured she must have been inside and he prepared himself.

He opened up the door and looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and he stepped inside without hesitation. "Sawyer?" The old floor creaked with his weight and he started for the bedroom. Trout perked up when he heard Ben, and the Coastie turned towards the dog when he saw the golden retriever get up. "Hey boy..." Trout had been asleep by the edge of the couch. His eyes fell on the dog and then Ben saw Sawyer laying on the couch. Her belly was bigger than he remembered, but most importantly she was sleeping. She wasn't hurt or unconscious; she was fine.

Laughing a little at himself for freaking out, Ben walked over towards her and hoovered over her silent, sleeping body. Sawyer was beautiful. Even cattywampus on the couch, mouth open a little, without make-up, and snoring just a little, Sawyer Scott held Ben Trammell's heart no matter what. He looked her over a minute and realized just how much he'd missed Sawyer. He placed a sweet kiss on her forehead and rested one of his hands on her belly. The babies were getting big.

Sawyer wasn't budging and he grinned that sweet, goofy, smile of his. Ben gently slid his hands and arms under her and used his legs to help him lift her off the couch. He wasn't quite sure how well he was going to be able to move Sawyer, but he wanted to try. At least in there he could lay with her.

Getting to the bedroom had been easy. She hand't opened her eyes or uttered a word. It was only when he put her on the bed and kicked off one his shoes that she started to move. The loud thud his military issue boot made as it fell to the floor was apparently what she needed to wake up. He let the second one fall to the ground and he got on the bed next to her.

Sawyer opened her eyes quickly but shut them right back when she snuggled deeper into the pillows.

Ben laughed and then moved over to kiss her. "Wake up."

"No."

Not expecting that greeting, Ben laughed out loud this time. "Sawyer..." He leaned closer and put his one of his hands on her side.

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer turned her head a bit when she smelled that familiar scent she'd been missing for the last five weeks. She opened her eyes and was met with that silly grin of his. "Ben...?"

"Morning." He kissed her one more time and put his hands on her belly.

Sawyer could taste his kiss on her lips and feel his hands on her stomach. "Wha... What are you doing here?" Still not one-hundred percent convinced this was real, Sawyer blinked a few times.

"_Somebody_ forgot to show up downtown this morning. So I got a ride by myself."

Looking over the clock and letting what he said register, Sawyer's eyes got wide. "Oh my God...what time is it?"

"Nine...thirty-six." Ben looked at the same clock and back down to the mother of his unborn children.

Her initial panic set in. She'd overslept. She'd missed that Riverwalk reunion she'd ben thinking so much about. But just as soon as her disappointment set in, she locking her eyes with him. She hadn't missed it at all. Sawyer let out a cute laugh. "You're home."

"I'm home." He nodded and then leaned down to kiss her again. "So will you kiss me back this time?" The other times she'd been asleep.

"Mmm-huh." She grinned and tugged on his shirt. For a little while they got lost in each other and what it felt like to be in one another's arms again. Five weeks had been a long time. "Hey...hey..." Sawyer took Ben's hand and pressed it against her stomach. "Feel that?" Sawyer could feel her belly move and she looked over to her handsome Coastie. "I think they known you're home."

Still amazed that there were two little people in there, Ben started to grin. He put both hands over Sawyer's belly and then leaned down to press his check against her warm stomach. He whispered something she couldn't hear, but Sawyer had a feeling whatever he was telling Baby A and Baby B was something sweet. She moved her hand over one of his and leaned back into the pillows. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath while he peppered soft kisses against her belly. Just over three months until they got to meet the Trammell twins. Due in late November, Sawyer and Ben would have a little more time to prepare for the world ahead of them.

But then again, maybe they wouldn't. Just because they were due around Thanksgiving didn't necessarily mean they'd get that far. They might not even make it to Halloween.

**OTHOTH**

**There you go guys. Thanks for being patient. I hope you liked the reunion between Sawyer and Ben. As it hinted at the end (and at the end of last chapter), the babies are gonna come early. How early? Early to where it could be a medical issue for the twins...or Sawyer? Maybe? We'll see how it all plays out next chapter. **

**My reviewers: Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the constant support for this story! Nothing fuels my fire more than your kind words. Keep it up!**

**H: It's gonna be interesting to see them cope with two babies. First off, we'll have to see how they cope with the delivery and all that comes with it. **

**Anon: LOL, the line in your review: "Phew. Nobody/no baby is dead in this one..." made me CRACK up. Nah...I'm not always gonna kill someone. Just...sometimes. Ha. **

**Blue Whale: I'm so glad you found the story and that you like it! Finding out I have new readers is always a bright spot in my day!**

**Guest 1: Thank you for the feedback! Sorry it took so long to update.**

**Guest 2: Yay, I'm glad you liked reading about Sawyer's soft side. That's going to come out more and more as she delves into motherhood. Haha, yep, the picture for the story is a little out there if you don't get the underlying meaning behind it. I'm glad you figured it out. OJ is, has been, and will continue to be a theme in this story. You're right about the kiddos. Blonde and blue-eyed and I can only imagine they would be SUPER cute.**

**Please Review!**


	23. Bedlam

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 23: Bedlam**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Nothing related to OTH belongs to me.**

**AN: Long time, no update. Ugh, I know. I'm terrible. But I'm back with a very important chapter. Gear up, and get ready. It's time to see Sawyer and Ben have their babies.**

**OTHOTH**

It was a week until Halloween. Carved pumpkins lined front porches and spooky decorations littered the quaint neighborhoods of small town Tree Hill.

Halloween had always been one of Sawyer's favorite holidays. There was something about the clandestine whispers of ghosts and goblins that had always intrigued the thirty-two year old.

Back in her teenage years, Sawyer would silently slip away from the overrated high school parties to roam downtown searching for a lost shadow in the night. Most of the time she'd only stumble upon drunkards or stray cats, but the mystery of the city's past and presence of death clung to her like the chorus of her favorite songs. But this Halloween was going to be different. Instead high school parties or hanging out at Tric, Sawyer was turning to her more responsible, maternal side. She was going to stay home.

With five weeks to go until the babies arrived, Sawyer wanted to make sure she stayed rested and relaxed. Before she knew it, her and Ben's lives were going to fundamentally change forever. The last thing she wanted before the twins came was drama. But seeing as this was Tree Hill, anything could happen.

"Hey Ben?" Sawyer walked out of the bedroom and toward the nursery. Her swollen ankles made her steps heavy, and if Ben hadn't heard her calling, he certainly would have heard her clomping down the hallway.

On his back like a mechanic under a car, Ben was underneath the bottom of one of the wooden cribs screwing in the last of the pieces. His vision was blocked for the most part, but he could see Sawyer's bare feet in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"Where did the other bags of candy go?" Last time she checked, they had plenty for next week's trick-or-treaters.

Laughing, the tall Coastie slid out from under the crib. He didn't even say a word. He didn't need to. One look to her belly and a grin spread across his face.

"Oh, come on..." Sawyer looked down. "I didn't eat _all_ of it." She knew that she'd had her fair share of the Halloween candy, but there was no way she'd eaten _two_ giant bags of assorted candy bars.

Getting up from the floor, Ben raised his brow, "Are you sure about that?"

Sawyer widened her blue eyes. "Yes." She actually couldn't be certain, but she hoped for the sake of her blood sugar and caloric intake that he was wrong.

"Really?" Ben leaned against the crib to make sure it was steady and safe before turning back to Sawyer. "Cause I'm pretty sure I picked up about twenty little Snickers and Milky Way bar wrappers by your side of the bed this morning."

Feeling herself laugh, Sawyer walked over to the rocking chair and took a seat. Apparently she couldn't act too innocent. Clearly he'd noticed her sweet tooth lately. "Why didn't you stop me from eating it all?"

Shaking his head, Ben couldn't help but laugh off her question. "I'm not coming between you and chocolate. Not now." He put the screwdriver down on a nearby bookshelf and walked over to Sawyer with a grin, taking a seat on the rocking chair's ottoman.

Sawyer placed her hands over her belly and laughed. As much as she'd love to eat each and every candy bar on the planet, she needed to save some for the kiddos who would show up at their doorstep next week. "Ugh...I can't believe I went through both bags."

Ben didn't want her to dwell on her overconsumption of sugar, so he looked over to his handy work then glanced to the pile of unassembled pieces of wood for the other crib. "The room's coming along. I might wait till this afternoon to put the other crib up."

Arching her brow, Sawyer smiled, "Already playing favorites?"

Flashing her that childish grin of his, Ben glanced to the assembled crib that would belong to their daughter. There were subtle decorations where the cribs were going that identified which side of the room belonged to which baby. "Maybe."

"Ben..." Sawyer's blue eyes widened. "Don't say that. They can probably hear you." Lightly running her fingers over her stomach, Sawyer could only shake her head.

"I'm kidding ." Ben got up off the ottoman and moved over to the crib that still needed putting together. "Look...I'll finish putting his up this afternoon so it'll be even."

Slowly getting up, Sawyer headed for the door. "Alright, well...Mom's gonna come by with the shelves at some point. I think I might run to the store; get out of the house for a little while. You need anything?"

"Ugh, yeah actually. Will you grab a pack of triple A batteries?"

That power screwdriver he was using wasn't gonna last much longer, and Ben wanted to get as much done in the nursery as he could. The sooner it was done, the more time they'd have on prepping the rest of the house.

Ben never got an answer from Sawyer, but he heard the front door open and close and he could only assume she'd get what he needed.

Tired of putting things together, Ben wanted to tackle another project. The Tennessee born Coastie moved across the room to the window facing the backyard, and twisted a can of white paint open. The trim needed a little touching up if it was going to look good against the soft green paint on the nursery walls.

Hints of yellows, greens, browns, and blues melded together throughout the room, and once everything was put together, it was going to look really good. It might take another week or two at most, but things were coming along nicely.

Away from the house, Sawyer put her hand out the window and let the wind roll over her skin. The cool October air was pleasant. As Sawyer drove her Wagoneer towards the store, she missed the days of her old Kharmin Ghia. It would come out of retirement soon. If fitting back into her skinny jeans wasn't enough motivation to lose the baby weight once the twins were born, fitting behind the steering wheel of her beloved convertible sure would be.

After buying what she'd gone to the store to get, Sawyer headed down the familiar downtown Tree Hill streets. She wasn't traveling back home, not just yet. She wanted to stop by the office to check in on things while she was out.

Climbing up those old iron steps proved to be a hassle, but once Sawyer got into Tric, she took a deep breath and smiled. The early afternoon crowd was stark, but the few people who occupied the barstools were the same people who kept Tric a downtown staple. Music bounced off the brick walls, and the chatter between old friends helped give Tric its signature character. Resting a hand on her stomach, Sawyer knew it wouldn't be long until Baby A and Baby B would fall in love with the old warehouse too. In fact, the music lover had a pretty good idea where she was going to set up a playpen so the kiddos could help her pick out the next big thing for Red Bedroom Records. Her aunt Haley and aunt Brooke might fight Sawyer on the idea of babies in a bar, but Sawyer was pretty sure she'd spent the majority of her infancy at Tric with her mom, and she'd turned out just fine.

"Here for one last hurrah?" Neil walked over to Sawyer with a smile and a few empty glasses.

Turning to the sound of his voice, Sawyer shook her head with a grin, "I was in the neighborhood."

"Won't be long, huh?"

Sawyer shook her head. "No. we'll get another month to prep if we're lucky."

Neil was a father and gave some words of wisdom. "It'll happen all at once, but when things get going, it'll be the _best_, worst time of your life."

"Ha..." Sawyer scrunched her brow not sure if that was a good thing or bad thing.

"The late nights and early mornings suck, but it's worth it. It's all worth it." His son was what he lived for, and Neil knew Sawyer would feel the same way once the babies were born.

Appreciative of his candid response, Sawyer nodded and thanked the bartender before walking to the doors of Red Bedroom Records.

Back at the house, Peyton pulled up to the driveway of her daughter's home. The car door shut with a thud and she leaned over to grab one of the wall shelves she'd painted for babies. It wasn't too heavy, but she couldn't get both of them at once.

Walking down the path to the house, Peyton managed to open the door and make her way back to the nursery.

Finished with the window's trim, Ben had gone back to assembling the second crib. Twisting a bar for the crib tightly, Ben looked over his shoulder and stood up with he saw Sawyer's mom.

Peyton stepped into the doorway and looked around with a wide smile. "Wow, Ben. This looks great." Even though one of the cribs was still a work in process, the nursery was nearly complete. They only need a few hanging decorations, linens for the cribs, and to roll out the accent rug.

"It's getting there." Ben admired his handy work and was pleased how it was coming together. "Here. Let me get that." Ben rubbed his hands on the front of his shorts and took the shelf from Peyton. He leaned it against the wall and tilted his head toward the front of the house. "I'll go get the other one."

"Thanks." Peyton nodded and let her eyes roam the nursery. The green walls reminded her of Sawyer's nursery and the older blonde suddenly felt overcome with nostalgia and emotion. She ran her hand over the railing of the crib and then crossed her arms tightly over her stomach. There was a stack of large, stained, wooden musical notes that still needed putting up, and on the changing table there was a stack of clothes Brooke had made. Peyton had already seen the clothes but she couldn't help but walk over to admire them again.

The outfits on top were two white onsies. The first had a light purple writing and the second, blue. _Double Trouble_. Two words and it was perfect. Peyton laughed and folded the onesies as she looked at the next two. _MET_ and _RBT;_ the babies initials stood out against the white fabric. Peyton couldn't help but feel proud that the little girl would share her middle name.

Ben's footsteps echoed down the hall and he raised his brow with a question when Peyton turned to him. "You any good with a level?" He eyed the spots above the cribs where the wall shelves would hang and knew he could get them up with someone else there.

"I think so." Peyton nodded and walked over towards the girl's side of the room and picked up the level.

Hoisting the shelf up, Ben eyed the work Peyton had done as he tried to get it center. Reading the name, _Miller_, Ben shook his head with a smile. "If she's anything like her mom, it might take us an hour to get this straight."

"Maybe she'll take after you?" Peyton pressed the level up against the wall with a smile.

Across town and sitting at her desk, Sawyer leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She'd just turned the stereo off and put her hands behind her head. Even though the music that came from Red Bedroom was something that excited her, the silence was better. It was the smell of the old warehouse mixed with the dust from old album leafs, the perfect fit of her office chair, and the scuff marks on the hardwood; it was all a peace of mind.

In that momentary silence, Sawyer felt her stomach move. Seemed like the babies liked it too.

Just when she started to smile, her mouth twisted with pain. "Ugh..." Something sharp stung her side. It was almost a sting, as if a bee were buzzing about the room. When it happened again, Sawyer took a sharp breath in. "Ah..." Keeling over as it happened once more, Sawyer stumbled from her chair to her feet. "No, no..." There'd always been a chance, a degree of probability, but Sawyer didn't and hadn't wanted it to happen to her.

Managing to walk from the office out to the bar, Sawyer was fighting the pain with determination. She wasn't going to let this happen. Outside and clutching the railing of the staircase, the blonde, slowly made her way down. Step by step, Sawyer could feel her world slow down and then it happened. Eight steps down and about halfway to the bottom, Sawyer's foot slipped on the edge.

It happened fast and it happened all at once.

Back at the house, Ben held out his hands as he gingerly backed away from the shelf. They'd gotten the first one hung, and now he wanted to make sure the second one could hold its own.

The shelf for the boy was the same size, but there were fewer letters in his name. Painted on the brown shelf, Ben read the name with a smile. _Bo._

Peyton opened her mouth to comment but before she could speak, the right side of the shelf swing off the hook and caused the whole thing to plummet to the ground. The crack of wood against wood didn't sound good as the shelf slapped the hardwood floor.

"Dammit." Ben stepped down to the ground and picked up the fallen shelf. Was it broken? Was it cracked? "I thought we had it on there good enough."

"I..." Peyton wasn't sure what to say but her phone interrupted her thoughts.

"If that's Sawyer, tell her not to come home right now." The room wasn't going to be completely finished, but he wanted her to get home to see the cribs up and the shelfs with the babies' names hanging against the wall.

"What...what do you mean?"

Ben turned his head to Peyton. Her conversation had turned serious, and he could see the worry painted over her face. "What is it?" He hadn't wanted to ask that question, because he could feel that something bad happened.

Hanging up the phone and shaking her head as if to make sense of it all, Peyton looked to Ben, "She's at the hospital. She fell at Tric or..."

With widened eyes, Ben swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He bolted out of the room and Peyton quickly followed him.

Whatever the bad news that met them at the hospital, Ben just wanted to get there. He knew Sawyer was probably scared or hurt. He wasn't even sure she was okay, but he knew he had to get there as fast as he could.

**OTHOTH**

The white glow of overhead florescent lights blurred Sawyer's vision as she came to. There was a faint beeping from a nearby machine and then she felt a warm hand grab onto her own.

"Sawyer...?"

"Mom?" The younger blonde looked to the older one with a terrified expression. "What happened?"

"You fell."

Moving her hands over her stomach as if to protect what was inside, Sawyer felt her eyes well up. She remembered being at Tric and that a sharp pain in her stomach and side had come over her. She remembered walking out of Red Bedroom Records and outside. Then she remembered falling. She wasn't sure about the landing, but she knew she fell down the steps. Instantly her body tensed up with the memory and Sawyer got nervous. "What about..." She couldn't get the rest of her sentence to come out in words.

"They're okay."

Sinking into the starchy pillows, Sawyer covered her face with her hands. She felt the bruise and bandage that stretched above her left brow. It was sore to the touch and then she felt the pounding headache that had been temporarily silenced with worry. Quickly wiping her tears, Sawyer took a deep breath. "Where's Ben?"

"I"m right here." Stepping into the doorway, Ben looked to her with a face full of concern. He'd only stepped outside for a second. Seeing her hooked up to the machines and waiting for her to regain consciousness had brought back painful memories. Walking to her bedside, he took her hand in his.

"It's previa, isn't it?" Sawyer didn't have to ask to know what was wrong. Just as her mother had, Sawyer had placenta previa too.

Ben nodded.

Sawyer looked away and sighed. She knew everything had been going too well for something not happen. With a family history and a multiple baby pregnancy, the cards hadn't been in her favor. Sawyer's doctor had been optimistic that she would be fine, but there were never guarantees in medicine.

Ben sat on the edge of her bed and watched Sawyer flick a tear away. Peyton had quietly exited the room and left the two of them alone.

The Coastie took a deep breath, "You came in and they stabilized the bleeding, but the doctor said you'll need a C-section soon."

"Soon!" Sawyer's face furrowed. "It's too early. We need to wait." They needed to wait another 5 weeks.

"That's what I thought, but he said that waiting around would be too risky."

"Ben..." The blonde bit her lip and shook her head. "I'm not doing it."

"You have to." If Sawyer didn't have the babies now, she could risk having another episode or bleeding out entirely.

Not believing that he wasn't taking her side, Sawyer plead her case. "I'll go on _bed res_t. I _won't_ move..." She put her hands over her belly and shook her head. "They're not ready. _We're_ not ready." Sawyer closed her eyes and tearily whispered out one last fact. "I'm not ready."

Ben wanted to console Sawyer, but he also knew he had to talk some sense into her. It was for the best; for her and the babies. "I know, but if the doctor thinks they're ready, then I think so too. And we'll figure something out."

"Sawyer. Ben." A man in a white coat came in and nodded to the two adults. "We can get you in as early as this evening."

"Tonight. You want to do it tonight?" Sawyer was quickly feeling overwhelmed.

"It'll be a routine procedure, and it will reduce the risk of something like this happening again."

Sawyer could feel her heart pounding beneath her chest. She knew what she had to do. She had to go through with it. In the end, Sawyer didn't want her stubbornness and desire to go home to turn tragic. She'd heard the story of her dad finding her mom unconscious, bleeding, and laid out on the bedroom floor too often, and Ben didn't deserve to have that happen to him.

" If...When we do this...what's the plan?"

"Like I said, it's a routine procedure. We'll prep you about an hour before and...", the doctor looked to the man next to him, "Ben can come with you. We'll make sure you're in the best hands so we can keep you and the babies as safe as possible."

Glancing to Ben, he could see the shock of it all setting in, so he asked the next question. "What about when they're born. Will they need special treatment?"

Dr. Walker nodded. "Most likely. Since they'll be early, I suspect that we'll run into potential problems with their size and lung development. With five weeks to go, they won't be completely ready, but we'll have a neonatal crew with us to give them everything they need."

There was a long minute of silence and then Sawyer spoke up.

"Ok. Thank you."

The white-coated man took Sawyer's few words as a polite way of asking him to leave, so he left the couple to themselves.

Ben turned to Sawyer and took a deep breath. He knew there was little he could say that could ease her troubled mind, but he had to come up with something. "At least I got both cribs up."

Finding his grin, Sawyer smiled too. "You did?" At least there was some relief in all of this.

He nodded, "And Miller's shelf is up."

Using the back of her palm to smudge her tears into her cheek, Sawyer arched her brow. "Still playing favorites, huh?"

Resting his hands on her stomach, Ben looked down and then met her blue eyes with his. "You know it's gonna be okay, right?"

"You don't know that." Her pessimism was back, but Ben didn't let it stop him.

"Yes I do." He could see that she was drumming up some response in her head. Leaning toward her, Ben kissed Sawyer so she couldn't find her words. He moved from her lips to her forehead and left a lingering kiss upon her skin. "We're gonna be okay."

She studied the different colored specs of blue in his eyes and let Ben's words and kiss quiet her worries. Maybe things would be okay? Maybe everything would work out?

Maybe they'd get their happy ending after all?

**OTHOTH**

Four and half hours later, Ben had gone into in a nearby bathroom to change into blue scrubs one of the nurses had given him. For something that should have taken a very short amount of time, Ben found himself frozen in time. His nerves were getting the best of him as he leaned against the wall, his head resting against the hard tile. Ben closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was happening. He was about to become a father.

Gaining his courage and tearing his fingers over the plastic wrap that covered the scrub set, Ben shook the wrinkles out the pants and then slid his feet, one by one, into the legs of the scrubs. He wasn't sure whether or not he needed to tie the draw string in a double or single knot, and the Coastie fumbled with the material in his hands. His inability to tie a simple knot made Ben question whether he would he have the same kind of hesitation when it came to putting on diapers?

Sliding one of the strings through a loop, Ben was able to tighten up his pants and reminded himself that it would take time. Be it draw strings or diapers, mastering bottle making or burping; it was all going to take time.

Time, however; was not on Ben's side. Sawyer was due into the operating room in less than twenty minutes, and he needed to get back to her.

Tossing his scrub shirt on, Ben nervously ran his hand over his hair and let out a deep breath before opening the door.

Walking down the hall towards Sawyer's room, Ben saw Graham and anxiously laughed as he approached his best friend, "Man...I feel like I'm about to throw up."

Shaking Ben off, Graham patted him on the shoulder with a grin, "You'll be fine. I was just like you when Hattie was born. All new parents are. Charlotte was nervous. I was nervous, but you'll get the hang of it."

"What if I suck? What if Sawyer thinks I'm not cut out for this?" He looked towards her room and swallowed the lump of doubt and uncertainty.

"She's not, and there's no way you're gonna do a bad job. Keep it simple, and know you're gonna mess up a few times." Graham was speaking from experience. "Know that you'll put their clothes on backwards, get soap in their eyes when they take a bath, and that when they start walking, they'll fall down...all the time. The bad stuff will happen and you have to let it."

Taking a deep breath, Ben nodded. Graham knew what he was talking about. With three kids and their last on the way, Charlotte and Graham were old pros at this point.

Ben knew Graham's advice would do him good. "Yeah. Thanks."

Moving past his friend and into the room where Sawyer was, Ben couldn't help but smile. The woman he loved was surrounded by friends and family. Brooke was in the middle of telling an old story of when Sawyer was young, enthusiastically recalling how disastrously precious Sawyer was as a child, and Charlotte, Peyton, Lucas, and Keith were chiming in every once in a while.

Between the bits of laughter and conversation, Sawyer looked up to see Ben in the doorway. She flashed him a smile that went straight to his heart.

The moment nearly took Ben's breath away. It was a different kind of smile he was seeing from her. Sawyer's messy blonde hair was in a loose bun but stray pieces framed her face. The oversized hospital gown fell over her body without form or fashion, but she looked beautiful. There was a natural glow to her skin, and Ben wasn't sure he'd seen her so genuinely happy. For being moody, opinionated, and very pregnant, Sawyer was showing off her different colors today.

A nurse brushed by Ben and came in with a smile and a giant needle.

"It's about that time, huh?" Sawyer looked to the nurse with a hesitated smile.

Flicking the needle, the nurse nodded. "It won't be long till happy hour begins."

Laughing, Sawyer watched those around her start to make their way out of the room. They knew the nurses' entrance had been their signal to leave.

"It's all going to be great..." Charlotte had walked over to Sawyer and threw her arms around her best friend. "I can't wait to meet them."

Sawyer closed her eyes and felt her own excitement rush over her body.

Peyton moved in for a hug after Charlotte and let her grasp on her daughter linger longer than anyone else's. She wasn't sure of what to say.

Feeling her mother's embrace tighten, Sawyer moved away and looked at Peyton. "Thanks, Mom."

Peyton laughed and looked at her oldest. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Me either." Sawyer laughed and took a deep breath. Eyeing her brother who was standing near Lucas, Sawyer arched her brow. "Hopefully my kids will be cuter than Keith's."

"Hey..." Keith frowned and squinted his eyes at his older sister.

Sawyer took Keith's hand, and squeezed it gently.

Lucas moved past his son and sat down on Sawyer's bed.

"And you..." Sawyer narrowed her eyes with a smile, "You're gonna write a book about this too, huh?"

Smiling and looking down to the hospital bedding, Lucas shrugged. "Never know." He leaned towards her and sweetly kissed her head.

"Never say never."

Sawyer smirked and knew everyone was thinking the same thing as the phrase echoed out of her mouth. _Never say never._ Never in a million years would anyone have thought Sawyer Scott would be having babies. She'd always thought she'd never wanted them, could be perfectly happy by herself, but then she met Ben. Her eyes went to his and she felt her chest fill with warmth. For a long time she thought he'd walked out of her life for good. Sawyer never believed that she'd find her way back to him, but she did. She did, and now they were about to have a baby- _two_ babies.

Ben left Sawyer's room for a second as the nurse administered the spinal block. When he walked back in, he went right back over to Sawyer's bed. He took her hand and flashed her a goofy smile. "Ready?"

"No." Sawyer was a nervous wreck. "But in a little while I think I'm gonna be so out of it, it won't matter." Sawyer looked to her IV with a laugh.

Nodding, Ben questioned the nurse smiling, "Can the dads get some of that?"

Grinning, the middle aged woman shook her head. "Not this time." She checked a few of the numbers on Sawyer's machines and smiled back to the couple. "Looks like you're good to go. I'll get the team in here, and we'll start moving you to the operating room."

Sawyer and Ben were left alone by themselves for a few minutes. The expectant mother looked out the window and then back to Ben. She started to laugh and Ben narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

"It's just... This all happened so differently in my mind." She never would have thought that she'd be the quiet, nervous type before the birth of the twins.

Ben smiled. "I did too. I thought you'd be screaming at me for getting you pregnant and throwing ice buckets at me."

Sawyer's mouth fell open and she laughed. "I wouldn't have been _that_ bad. Yelling, yes. Throwing stuff, probably not."

Grinning, Ben arched his brow. "It wouldn't have been the first thing you ever threw at me."

"What?" Sawyer shook her head. "When have I ever thrown something at you?"

"Well...that orange juice comes to mind."

Sawyer felt her cheeks redden. How could she have forgotten about that? Wasn't that how it all began?It seemed like forever ago that Ben had been on the receiving end of her juice the morning of the Diligence Dash all those years ago. Just look at them now. Happy and about to have twins.

He was still holding her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. Ben could see the memories in her eyes. It had taken eight years, but Ben always knew this was going to happen. Twins had been a surprise, but he'd always felt that he and Sawyer would become parents together- that they'd end up together.

"I'm sorry your dad's not here yet." Sawyer looked up to Ben's calm blue eyes and gave him a sympathetic look. She knew how badly he wanted his dad there. Sawyer wanted Russ there, too.

"It's ok." Shrugging his shoulder, Ben replied back, "He'll be here in a couple hours."

Nodding, the blonde pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. Her nervousness was leaning back on the edge of fear. "Ben, what happens if something goes wrong?"

"It won't."

Tilting her head, she furrowed her brow. "But what if it does. When Liza had her C-section with Claire she and the baby almost died."

Ben took a sharp inhale inwards. He knew the what ifs and possibilities, but he didn't want to think it could happen to Sawyer. "You're gonna be fine. I'll be there the whole time and nothing is going to happen."

Hearing him say that made her anxiety a little bit better, but Sawyer felt her nerves fire back up when a group of nurses came in.

Ben stepped aside so the women could get to Sawyer, but it wasn't long before he was back at her side. His tight grip over her hand was steady and he wasn't going to let go.

The same sweet nurse who had come to giver Sawyer her medicine earlier could tell that the couple was on pins and needles about this. Looking to both of them as they rolled Sawyer down the hall, she smiled kindly, "Don't you two worry. These babies are going to be just fine. You're gonna be just fine."

Sawyer looked up and saw the lights on the ceiling starting to blur. That medicine was beginning to settle in. "Ben..."

"Yeah?" He bent down close to her.

"I love you."

Quickly kissing the side of her mouth, Ben said it back. "I love you, too."

Dr. Walker and a neonatal team met up with the others as Sawyer felt the bed bump over the entrance of the operating room. A blue sheet was pulled up from her chest and she looked to her left. Two small, mobile incubators were ready and waiting for the babies, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Even though the lower half of her body was numb, it was a ghostly feeling knowing the doctors were about to go to work.

"Here we go, guys. Let's get these babies out safe and sound."

Ben had been watching what they were doing to Sawyer's abdomen but turned to face her when he saw the scalpel.

"Tell me when they're out." Sawyer looked up to Ben hopeful. He'd get the first look.

The next few minutes felt like hours, and then everything seemed to happen at once.

"Here's the boy."

Peeking over the sheet, Ben saw a tiny baby and then heard him cry. A swell of pride settled over the Coastie and Ben had never been so elated. He had a son. They had a son. Overcome with joy, Ben laughed and wiped away a happy tear. "It's Bo, OJ. He's first."

"I can hear him." Sawyer saw the happiness on Ben's face and felt her eyes water. She wanted to see him. She wanted to see both of them.

The baby boy was quickly wrapped up in a blue blanket, and a nurse quickly brought him over to Sawyer.

"Say hello to your son."

Sawyer's lip quivered and she smiled at the baby. "Hi." He was so little but perfect. His eye were closed but he had his brow furrowed just like Ben's.

The nurse seemed to walk away just as quickly as she got there, and Sawyer felt her heart fall to pieces as her son was whisked away from her.

Ben placed a sweet kiss on Sawyer's head and waited on news of their second baby.

"Here we go. Here's the little girl."

Screaming much louder than her twin brother, Miller came out pitching an absolute fit. Ben laughed back tears and looked to the woman on the table. "She takes after you."

Smiling, Sawyer felt her tears fall off her cheek. They were both okay. Little, but they were alright.

"Here, Mom. Here's your little girl."

Sawyer turned to look at the baby and softened her eyes. "Hi."

"Dad... you can come with us, while Mom gets closed up." A nurse pointed towards the door.

Looking down to Sawyer, he knew he had to leave her.

"I'll be fine." Her blue eyes looked to his.

Leaning down to her, Ben peppered a few short, sweet kisses on Sawyer's lips.

Sawyer felt him let go of her hand. It wasn't long before the babies and Ben left the operating room.

She was by herself, and knew she never wanted to be alone again- not with them in her life- the babies and Ben. She'd been such a foolish young girl to think she'd never wanted any of this. Ben was good for her. The babies were good for her. It had taken some time for Sawyer to figure out what she needed in life, but now more than ever she knew what it had been. A family. They key to Sawyer's happiness had been having a family.

Letting it all sink in, the blonde closed her eyes and let her mind drift away. The plucking of guitar strings filled her head as a familiar song started ringing in her ears. Smiling, Sawyer took a deep breath.

Everything had turned out alright.

**OTHOTH**

**So there we go, guys. Sawyer and Ben had the babies and everything turned out alright. There was a little drama, but not too much. I didn't think Sawyer and Ben deserved the agony of something terrible happening, ha. We'll see how Sawyer and Ben handle life as new parents next. Looking ahead, there are still two big events that will shake up the story pretty dramatically. If you read the other spin-offs, you've gotten the hints, so now you'll have to see if you're predictions are right.**

**Reviewers: This story wouldn't be possible without you. I am so appreciative of your time and thoughts. **

**Omgpandas: I'm so happy you love the story! You're right about the twins coming early. I'm a twin (and like most twins) we came early, so I couldn't not have that happen with Sawyer and Ben.**

**Ash****: I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Sorry about the late update. I hope you enjoy briefly meeting Sawyer's new additions. **

**Please Review!**


	24. Sleepless Nights

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 24: Sleepless Nights**

**Disclaimer: Sawyer is not my character. I created this version of her personality, but that's it. Thanks Mark and co. for giving me a shell of a character I got to expand upon!**

**A/N: Whoa, Nelly! Life has been crazy. I'm sooooo sorry for the lack of updates but read on to find out how Sawyer and Ben handle the two new additions in their lives.**

**OTHOTH**

Darkness swept through the babies' nursery but a sliver of light shinning in from the hallway helped Sawyer and Ben find their way inside the room. It was just past eight o'clock, and the twins had fallen asleep. The babies' slumber wouldn't last long, though- an hour at most. But however long or short, Sawyer and Ben wanted to take advantage of it.

It was going to be a rough first week with the twins home. It would probably be a rough few weeks if not months. New babies and new parents always made for an interesting combination.

Leading the way, Ben stepped into the nursery and heard the crack of the hardwood floor against his weight. Terrified, Ben instinctively looked down to see if the noise woke up his sleeping son. Bo hadn't been disturbed and was still comfortably asleep against Ben's forearm. Turning around to look at Sawyer, Ben hoped Miller was a deep sleeper like her brother.

Sawyer felt the little girl squirm in her arms and held her breath hoping it would keep their daughter from waking up. Sawyer watched Miller's little mouth open and expected a cry but saw the most adorable, tiny yawn come from the baby's mouth. Thankful, grateful, and surprised, Sawyer pressed her head against Ben's back and breathed in his bar soap scent. Catastrophe avoided.

The adults quietly walked over to the babies' respective cribs and gently laid the infants down. Ben ran his finger along Bo's back and gazed at his sleeping son for a minute. On the other side of the room, Sawyer was a little more timid. Was Miller in the right position? Was she comfortable? Would she be warm enough? A million questions started running through her mind and Sawyer quickly became overcome with the enormity of it all. That was, however, until she felt a warm body move next to her.

Ben wrapped his left arm around Sawyer and pulled her in to his muscular frame. He felt his own exhaustion setting in, and he could only imagine how Sawyer felt. Her body was probably begging for sleep, and her new-found motherly-instincts were surely overtaking her tired mind. Ben wouldn't get the chance to tell her now, but he admired her as much as he loved her.

Sweetly kissing the side of her head, Ben looked to the mother of his children through the darkness and whispered. "I think they're good."

Sawyer hesitantly agreed, and followed him out of the room. Sawyer could have stayed in there all night. As a mother, she wanted to make sure Miller and Bo were okay; that they were safe and sound; just to be near to them.

Once Sawyer and Ben were in their bedroom, the Coastie grabbed the baby monitor and slid it in the breast pocket of his t-shirt.

Quietly laughing at him yet thinking it was mildly adorable, Sawyer sat down on the bed and ran her hand over her hair. "This is so much harder than I thought." They family of four had only been home from the hospital a few hours, and it was seeming as though life was so much more exhausting as a parent. Sawyer suddenly had a new appreciation for everything her mom and dad had put up with over the last thirty-two years.

"Once they're on a schedule, they say it won't be so bad." Ben moved over to the bed and kicked his shoes off as he sat down next to her. Arms outstretched, he let out a yawn and massaged his temple with his fingertips.

Sawyer looked at Ben and felt her heart swell. She loved it when he said stuff like that. That Tennessee Coastie was meant to be a dad, and there was something incredibly endearing about his wealth of baby book knowledge. It added to his good looks and charm, and Sawyer shyly smiled. "I love you."

With tired eyes, Ben arched his brow and showed off his goofy grin. He started to say it back but his words were cut off when Sawyer leaned over and kissed him.

It was a sweet affectionate moment that had been long overdue. So much had happened to the twosome over the last few days that they'd rarely had a moment together by themselves, let alone, a moment to show their tenderness and care. In the bedlam of the twins unexpected delivery, Sawyer and Ben were now having a moment to take in their new surroundings

Ben ran his hand up Sawyer's side and pulled her closer to him, pressing his stubbly cheek against her soft face. Their embrace was the comfort they both yearned for- a rejuvenation of feelings and energy that would propel them through the night. It was bound to be a long one. Feeling Sawyer rest her head in the crook of his neck, Ben closed his eyes. There weren't ready for ready for this, they might never be ready for it, but the moment of solitude was nice.

Sawyer could have stayed against Ben's chest forever. His warmth and the static from the monitor letting her know Miller and Bo were fine were all she needed.

"You want to take a shower?"

Furrowing her brow, Sawyer moved away from Ben. Was his question a polite way of telling her she stunk? Sawyer twisted her lips together with embarrassment. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"What?" Ben shook his head?" "No. No. I just thought you might want to take a shower while they're asleep. You smell fine..." He stuck his nose right behind her ear and kissed her hairline. "I promise."

Arching her brow because she knew he had to be exaggerating, Sawyer laughed at his prompt yet nervous response. She hadn't been able to take a full shower in three days. Deodorant and a wipe down at the hospital could only do so much, but she appreciated the kindness in his voice. She moved away from the bed and walked to the bathroom. "I won't be long."

"It's fine. Take as much time as you want. I've got it covered."

Nodding, Sawyer opened the door and stepped on the cold bathroom tile before turning back to him. "Thank you."

Ben smiled back and watched the door shut.

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Sawyer could see the sleep deprivation all over her face. Her eyes were sunken, her color a little less vibrant, but she was making do. A nice warm shower might liven up her up.

The old pipes squealed when the water came on, and a short whistle let Sawyer know the hot water was warming up. She pulled her clothes off and gently reached down to her tender, bare stomach. Careful not to mess with the staples left over from the C-section, Sawyer closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She'd never expected to have a C-section, but then again, Sawyer never even planned on having kids.

Moving her eyes from the scar to the hospital bracelet around her wrist, Sawyer read her children's names and immediately regretted her previous disposition on motherhood. Five days old and Miller and Bo were already showing signs of changing Sawyer's life for the better. She'd been nervous about the pregnancy, terrified about whether she was cut out to be a mom, but looking back on it now, Sawyer knew everything was falling into place. She wouldn't change a thing.

Ben was in the living room watching SportsCenter when he heard the water turn on. The baby monitor was giving off a quiet buzz in his shirt pocket, and Trout was laying down by Ben's feet.

The Coastie looked down to his loyal companion and smiled. "I know it's gonna take some getting used to, but I think you're gonna like Miller and Bo, Trout." Ben rubbed his foot against Trout's golden coat. "The crying thing is gonna last a while, though. I know you don't like that." Ben couldn't help but laugh as he remembered how Trout went running under the kitchen table once Miller started crying when they first got home. "And if you ever think we're ignoring you, we're not. Or we're not trying to. It's just gonna be a little bit different around here."

Leaning down to rub the seven year old golden retriever, Ben could see the white and gray in Trout's snout. It was hard to believe time had gone by so fast. It had been seven and a half years since Sawyer brought that clumsy, loyal puppy home. Seven years. And that meant it had almost been nine years since Ben first met that beautiful, opinionated, thorn-in-his-side girl that he loved more than anything.

It was funny how things had worked out and how they hadn't. They sure had taken the long road, but Ben always imagined that he and Sawyer would end up together. Just like orange juice in the morning, Sawyer and Ben were meant to be.

Taken away from the television and lost in thought, the only thing that brought Ben back to reality was hearing a stir from the baby monitor. A murmur transitioned to a cackle and then a full on wail. One of the babies was upset about something, and Ben quickly got up.

It amazing the lung capacity of an infant, because Ben was sure his eardrums started to ring once he stepped into the nursery. Miller was awake, uncomfortable, and apparently wanted her parents and the whole neighborhood to know about it.

"Shh..." Ben walked over to the crying baby and scooped her up in his arms. "I got you. Shh..." Ben cradled the little girl and tried to soothe Miller back to sleep. It didn't work, and her cries woke up her brother. Ben heard Bo start to cry and he wasn't sure he could handle two at once. "Oh my God..." Walking over to the boy's crib, Ben picked up Bo and had a baby in each arm. "Shhh...guys, help me out a little here." Checking for dirty diapers, neither child needed to be changed so Ben walked over to the rocking chair. It wasn't time to feed them again. Maybe they just wanted to be held? Waking up alone had to be terrifying.

Sitting in the darkness with his newborn son and daughter, Ben held them close and started to hum one of his favorite Marc Cohn songs. Miller and Bo seemed to take to their father's humming well and quieted down just a bit. Then Ben's hums soon turned into words.

"They've got catfish on the table. They've got gospel in the air. And Reverend Green will be glad to see you when you haven't got a prayer. Boy you got a prayer in Memphis..."

Ben didn't make it to the end of the song before the babies fell back asleep. Cautious to get up and wake one or both of them, Ben stayed put in the rocking chair.

It was another twenty minutes later when Sawyer quietly stuck her head in the door. When she hadn't seen Ben in the living room, she knew he had to be with Miller and Bo. Sawyer wasn't surprised to find him in there, but she wasn't expecting the sweet scene that she stumbled upon either. Ben was laid back in the rocking chair with the babies in his arms and his soft snores that matched the white noise on the baby monitor. Sawyer walked over to him and knew she better wake him.

Sawyer leaned over Ben and gently woke him up. "Ben..."

Cracking open his eyes, the Coastie could see Sawyer in the darkness and then looked to the tiny babies in his arms. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah." Sawyer quietly whispered and started to pick up the baby closest to her. "They'll probably be hungry in a little while, but we can try to put them back down."

Ben thought that was a good idea and started to get up. He moved over to Miller's bed but felt the wet spot on his shirt. It was too big to be from drool, so he touched the dampness and raised his finger to his nose. "Shit...he peed on me."

Sawyer moved her hand under Bo's bottom and felt a wet spot on his onsie. She tried her hardest not to laugh. Their son, in his first day home, already peed on Ben. Grabbing a diaper, Sawyer opted to change Bo in their bedroom. He'd probably start to cry in the process and Sawyer didn't want Miller to wake up. Sawyer and Ben were already acutely aware of the avalanche that started once one of them cried.

Ben had successfully put Miller back down and he walked into their bedroom to show Sawyer the giant spot of urine on his shirt. "I mean...how big is his bladder?"

Turning around after snapping off the bottom half of Bo's onsie, Sawyer laughed at the size of the spot on Ben's shirt. "How did you not feel that?"

"I don't know." Ben took off his shirt and held it out. "Ugh..."

"It's not like he meant to." Sawyer laughed and then went back to changing the little boy. She frowned when Bo started to cry and picked him up. "Look, Ben... He knows your mad at him."

"I'm not mad at him... I'm just..." Ben looked back to his soiled shirt and then to the little boy in Sawyer's arms. "He's crying because he didn't like his butt being cold. I mean...I wouldn't."

Smiling at her boyfriend, Sawyer flashed him an apologetic look. She shifted the little boy in her arms, "Just go toss that in the laundry. I'm gonna make him a bottle."

Ben followed Sawyer's directions and headed for the laundry room. He sprayed his shirt with some Shout making sure it wouldn't smell of pee for long, and then he eyed one of his uniforms with the other hanging clothes. His formal, navy dress uniform was amongst Sawyer's blouses and his collared shirts, and he reached for something hidden in the inside breast pocket of the jacket. Just as Ben pulled out a small something, Miller started to cry again. Ben slipped the little black box back into the inside breast pocket and hurried out of the laundry room.

"Ben, will you get her?" Sawyer's voice carried from the kitchen down the hall.

"Yeah." He walked out of the laundry room with a sweet smile. There would never be a moment in his life where he could say no to helping Sawyer out. He lived for it, and he could do it the rest of his life.

It was only ten o'clock, but Sawyer and Ben were in for a busy night. Between the multiple feedings, diaper changes, and everything else in between, the two new parents were in for a tag-team kind of night. And that's what it would all come down to- team work. If Sawyer and Ben could work together and find common ground and unity in the chaos of having newborns, things would work in their favor.

If they couldn't. Things would go south for the pair.

Quickly.

**OTHOTH**

It had been three weeks since the babies had been home. Three weeks of sleepless nights, of groggy mornings and selfless days. Ben had to go back to work leaving Sawyer with the babies most of the day, but it wasn't as bad as it seemed. She had a crowd of support. Peyton came over on a daily basis. Brooke came and went as often as she could, and Haley brought more meals than Sawyer's fridge could hold. It was amazing really. Charlotte would have been around more, but she was dealing with her own three month old. Babies seemed to be a trend in Tree Hill lately.

For Sawyer, the day hadn't been to terribly hard. Her dad came by to help out earlier. He was pretty cute with the twins. His curious squint stayed masked on his face as he tried to figure out exactly what it was his grandson and granddaughter wanted. Sometimes their crying fits were easy to fix and sometimes they weren't.

Sawyer was currently in the middle of a quiet spell, but she knew it wouldn't last long.

The microwave dinged and Sawyer shuffled her feet across the kitchen. Casserole leftovers were her lunch norm as of late. After getting a bowl and rummaging through the utensil drawer, she picked up the hot bowl and rolled her eyes when she saw she'd grabbed a knife instead of a fork.

Her day wasn't about to get worse, was it?

Replacing her knife, Sawyer sat down at the table and stirred the food around. Close to four o'clock, it was way past lunchtime but the chicken, broccoli and cheese made for a nice combination. Sawyer was just too tired to eat. It was a situation she didn't even know was possible. Who gets too tired to eat? And on top of that, her entire abdomen felt like one giant bruise. Sawyer was really starting to feel the repercussions of having a C-section now. It seemed like with every move, every time she lifted one of the babies, every anything, her staples were inching their way out. She was miserable, and her brave face was only going to last so long.

Aimlessly pushing the food around in the bowl, Sawyer convinced herself she wasn't up for it. Maybe she'd get hungry later? Sawyer got up and dropped the bowl in the sink.

Headed to the bedroom, Sawyer laid down on the thick bedding while letting out yawn. She stretched out horizontally on her back and gently pressed her fingers around her incision on her stomach. The careful massage didn't help and Sawyer finally gave into the pain, closing her eyes. Maybe she could get half an hour of sleep?

Thirty minutes quickly flew by, and Sawyer was lost in peaceful dreams until sometime close to five. Zonked out, Sawyer's eyes didn't even flutter when the first baby started to cry. It was the wail of the twins together that propelled her body out of bed.

Sawyer hurried into the nursery, stubbing her toe in the process. A sting of pain radiated through her body and her eyes welled for a moment. "Ah, ugh...Shh..." She made it over to Bo's bed and quickly picked him up. "Shh...Bo..." With one hand, Sawyer strapped a baby Bjorn to her chest and slid Bo into place. Miller was letting out blood curdling scream and Sawyer moved over to her side of the room. "Mills, I got you. Shh..." Sawyer could tell the little girl needed a new diaper.

While trying to change one baby, it seemed the other was competing for attention. Both equally upset and hungry, Miller and Bo were in a cry-fest for the ages. Sawyer's ears started to ring and her hands were shaking she was so rattled by the noise. It was ridiculous yet sad. Sawyer just wanted to help them, settle them down, and give them the comfort a mother should, but nothing seemed to work or help.

"Guys...please." Moving out of the nursery and to the kitchen, Sawyer started to immediately work on prepping bottles. They had it down to an art form, Sawyer and Ben. But even as easy as making a bottle had become, doing anything with two screaming babies and one hand was nearly impossible.

Getting the water in the bottles hadn't been so bad, it was the formula that made things difficult. The lid wouldn't come off and then Sawyer had to scoop and measure. Her conversions for scoops per ounces were interrupted by Miller and Bo's cries, but Sawyer trudged on. If she could just get the bottles made, life would be easier.

If only.

Just as Sawyer twisted one of the caps onto the bottles, it somehow squirted away from her hand and plummeted to the floor. It only took a few seconds for the milky formula to spread across the laminate.

Defeated and very much alone, Sawyer found her emotions matching that of her children. All at once her lack of sleep, her state of mind, and her utter exhaustion on all fronts had her tears coming down without warning. Sawyer couldn't even seem to stop herself.

Sawyer, Miller, and Bo were all crying now, and there was no turning back.

Ben had grabbed a few things at the store and had pulled up to the house close to five forty-five. The Coastie got out of his 4-Runner and sluggishly walked to the front door. It had been a long day for him too. Tugging lines and cleaning the Diligence all day hadn't been an easy transition back to work, and a quiet, peaceful evening at home was going to be a tall order. Parenting had only gotten harder over the last few weeks, and nothing seemed to let up.

Twisting the know of the front door, Ben's hopes for a peaceful evening were dashed when he saw Sawyer in utter shambles as he walked into their home.

Hearing the door open, Sawyer turned to see her handsome baby daddy with the same tired, dark circles under his eyes that matched her own. Sitting on the couch, she was uncomfortably holding and feeding Bo while simultaneously trying to feed Miller. Their son was in her arms and their daughter was a foot away, propped up by pillows as Sawyer leaned over to hold the bottle for her. It was quite a scene to take in, and Sawyer knew exactly how ridiculous it looked. Her blue eyes met Ben's and the same tears she'd shed in the kitchen were coming back in full form.

Ben felt for Sawyer. He really did. He could only imagine her afternoon. Her red swollen eyes cut straight to his heart. "Sawyer...what happened? Are you okay?" He walked towards her but realized his kind words only made her cry harder.

"I...I..." Her voice hitched with her tears. "I can't do this by...by myself."

"I'm here." Ben picked up Miller and started to feed her. "It's okay."

Shaking her head, Sawyer adjusted Bo in her arms. "They both started crying and I couldn't get them to stop."

"It's happens sometimes, Sawyer." He leaned over and tried to kiss her worry and bad day away.

"But then," Sawyer continued, "Then I tried to make their bottles and made a huge mess. There still formula all over the floor." Sawyer quickly wiped her cheeks with her wrist, laughing at what had happened earlier. "Trout's probably licking it up."

"I'll clean it up. It's fine." He'd been cleaning all day. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he needed to do it for her.

"And I think I broke my toe somehow in all of it."

Ben looked down to her feet and saw that her right pinky toe was already bruising.

"And my scar hurts, my head hurts, my eyeballs feel like they are a heavy as bowling balls, and...I'm hungry." Sawyer just let it all out. It felt better talking to someone, and she was glad it was Ben. Turning to him, she could see that he was listening with concern and she immediately felt bad for whining. "How was your day?"

He shook his head and shrugged, kissing her forehead. "Not as bad as yours."

Sawyer could see it in his eyes that he'd had a long day too. It wasn't crying babies or diapers or bottles, but Sawyer loved that he was concerned with her- with them. There was something about the tenderness in his eyes when he'd said it, that made Sawyer regret all her complaining even more so. "Ugh...I'm such a bitch sometimes. I don't know how you put up with me."

Grinning with that sweet, goofy smile, Ben looked down to Miller and Bo for a second and then back to Sawyer. "You're an acquired taste."

The blonde's mouth fell open and she playfully cut her eyes at the man next to her. "Ben!"

"I'm just kidding, O.J." The Coastie smiled at her and then looked to the little boy in his arms. Bo was done with his bottle and about to fall asleep. He turned to Sawyer and the little girl she was holding. "Is Miller still eating?"

"Yeah."

"Well once she's asleep, put her in the carseat. I have an idea."

"Where are we going." Sawyer looked around the house wide-eyed. "The house is a wreck."

"So we'll clean it..._later_. Come on... We'll put the babies in their carseats and go have dinner...at a drive through."

Sawyer could tell he wasn't joking and that his plan was actually kind of sweet. "Any place in mind?"

"Whatever you want. A big cheeseburger sounds good."

"Wendy's?" Sawyer could already imagine sinking her teeth into a double stack and sharing a frosty with Ben.

"Works for me." Ben got up and moved around to make sure Bo was asleep and started to put him in the carseat.

It didn't take long for Miller to follow her brother's lead. Sawyer strapped the tiny baby in the carseat and Ben hoisted both of the babies out to the Wagoneer. The duo worked together smoothly to quietly get the twins in the car, and before long, Ben was pulling out of the driveway.

Sawyer kept a close eye on Miller and Bo, and Ben turned around to smile at their children when he stopped at a red light. The babies were so quiet that the tires on the pavement seemed loud.

"They're nice like this, huh?" He boasted a proud father grin and turned to Sawyer.

Agreeing, Sawyer turned around and held her hand out over the console. Ben wrapped his hand over Sawyer's, swallowing her fingers with his.

It had been a bad day. It had been a bad day for both of them. Yet somehow...something about having each other made their bad day better. Maybe it was the simple company and companionship, or maybe it was the new found partnership they'd established over the last few weeks? They might never find out, but that would be okay. They'd work through the next couple of months together. They'd have their highs and lows, good times and bad, but they'd keep working at it and trying to become better parents with each passing day. It was a learning experience. That was for sure. But Sawyer would learn from Ben and Ben from Sawyer. They wouldn't always agree but they didn't have to. As long as they could share those looks, those simple gestures that reminded them they were a team, they'd be just fine.

Everything would be okay.

**OTHOTH**

**It's pretty rough on Sawyer and Ben but their managing. I was planning on jumping ahead and not showing everything tiny little milestone Miller and Bo have as babies, but if you guys feel as though there is something you absolutely can't live without reading about, let me know. Other wise, I'm gonna go ahead and jump to when their about 10 months old.**

**My readers and reviewers, thanks so much for the continued support! I know I've been a terribly flaky updater as of late, but since summer is nearing, I feel as though I'll be back to form soon! I just appreciate your patience and that you've stuck with this story! It means so much!**

**Laughing waffles: I mentioned the babies names quite a lot in this new chapter. Hopefully you remembered them this time.**

**H: I hope to explain the names at some point in the story I just have to find the right time. But for now you can chew on this" Miller is a name Ben picked and Elisabeth is Peyton's middle name. Robert is a name Russ mentioned and Sawyer wanted to shorten it to Bo. His middle name is Benjamin...for his dad. Hope that suffices for now.**

**Review Please!**

no sleeping;

charlotte over; ben at store, argument, sleep on couch


	25. Baby It's You

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 25: Baby It's You**

**Disclaimer: I _still_ don't own anything related to OTH. **

**A/N: Like I said at the bottom Author's Note of the last chapter, I'm jumping ahead with this one. The babies are about five months in the first two sections and ten months in the last. We'll get to see how things have changed with the babies and with Sawyer and Ben. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

The sound of baseballs slapping into leather gloves was one of life's great joys. At least for Ben Trammell it was. Baseball had always been his first love, a humble companion throughout childhood. While the Tennessean warmed up for the annual Coast Guard charity game, Ben felt like a kid again. It was the simple rhythm of two players going back and forth, the snap of his wrist, and the pain in his palm from one of Graham's fastball's that made Ben grin ear to ear. His catcher's chest protector rode up as he tossed the ball back to his best friend, and the March sunshine speckled pools of perspiration across his forehead.

Wiping his brow, Ben caught Graham's toss. "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?" Clapping his hand against his old baseball glove, Graham readied himself for the ball. "I think you're taking too long. She's gonna marry you if you ever get around to asking."

Taking a deep breath, Ben reared back and threw a bullet to Graham. "I just keep thinking she's going to say no."

"She won't. She's not. Just stop thinking about it and do it. You don't even have to make a big deal about the proposal. I tried that and ended up screwing everything up."

Ben had heard the story a million times about how Graham dropped Charlotte's engagement ring in the sand. Graham, however, had the uncanny ability to make a bad situation work out. Knowing Ben's luck, he'd be the one to drop a ring and never be able to find it again. He caught the baseball and flicked it back into the air before throwing it back. "Sawyer's birthday is tomorrow. I could do it then."

Shrugging his shoulders, Graham nodded. "Yeah...but that might be kinda cliché. Sawyer probably wouldn't..."

Hearing his best friend's hesitation, Ben's eyes went wide. "See...this is exactly why I haven't done it. Every scenario I come up with sucks and doesn't sound very...Sawyerish."

"Then do something musically. Play her a song on the guitar and then ask her to marry you. She'd have to go for that."

"Yeah...I guess." Ben threw the ball back to Graham and took a deep breath. This whole proposal thing would be a lot easier if he didn't care so much. Ben wanted perfection. He wanted Sawyer to be blown away. He wanted to do enough so it would be certain that she'd say yes.

If he only knew all it took was his question. No games, no gimmicks, no big charades or anything like that. He wouldn't need fireworks, candles, or rose petals. He just needed to ask. That's all it would take. If Ben could work up the courage and put his worries aside, he'd have a fiance in Sawyer Scott.

"Speak of the devil..." Graham pointed to a lanky blonde who had pushed a double wide stroller toward the field and was setting out a blanket on the grass.

Ben started for the threesome and pushed through the outfield gate by the dugout. Sawyer got Miller out of the stroller and Ben went to get their son. Holding Bo under his arms, Ben lovingly swung the little boy out of the stroller. Bo erupted into a fit of giggles.

Sitting down and scooping Miller into her lap, Sawyer shielded the sun from her face with a smirk. "If he throws up, it's your fault."

Ben grinned and laid down on his side. "He won't." He'd put Bo down and watched him do some version of a crawl and scoot along the length of his body. Turning to address the blonde haired little girl in Sawyer's lap, Ben reached out and rubbed Miller's leg. "Hey, kiddo. You been good for your mom?"

Sawyer nodded and answered for the five-month old. "So far. We managed to get through lunch without any problems. I did have to go back to the house twice because I forgot the diaper bag and my phone."

Shooting her a killer grin, Ben playfully narrowed his eyes with a smile. "I was wondering why y'all were late?"

Leaning toward him, Sawyer kinked her brow. "We're here now." She left a kiss on Ben's lips and pulled away. "Bo, come tell Daddy what you were saying earlier." Looking at Ben, Sawyer's eyes went wide. "I swear it sounded just like he was trying to say woof.

"Can you say it, Bo? Can you say woof?" He held his arms out to the little guy sporting overalls.

"Lo,lo, lo, lo, lo..." The little boy responded with baby jabber and crawled up to Ben's chest, pressing his open mouth against the soft t-shirt his father was wearing.

Sawyer pushed a few of her finger's through Miller's hair. "We might leave the game a little early, so I can drop them off at the sitter's. I wanna have enough time to get a shower and get ready before we have to be at the church."

Thinking about Davis and Amelia's wedding tonight, Ben nodded. "That's fine. I didn't think they'd make it through the whole game, anyway." He rubbed on Bo's back and started to get up. "I should probably head back. They can't start without the best catcher anyway."

Shielding the sun again, Sawyer smiled. "I suppose not."

Ben leaned down and sweetly said goodbye to the twins and then moved over to Sawyer. "So I'll see you later?"

"Mmm-hmm." Sawyer felt the buzz of his lips against hers, and she knew he was doing it on purpose. Sawyer secretly loved the way it felt.

"And you'll be in that blue dress?"

"Yep."

Ben kissed her and felt his lungs fill up with pride. He had everything he wanted on that one little blanket. "I'll try to find a tie."

"You better." Sawyer twisted her lips into a smile and watched him walk away. He had to be the most handsome catcher in the world.

Ben walked into the dugout and checked the line-up card. His team was batting first and he was up third. Graham called Ben's name and tossed him a helmet. "Which one did that? Miller or Bo?"

Looking down to the wet spot on his shirt, Ben laughed. "Bo."

"They're teething, right?"

"Yeah. Miller was up all night." Ben ran his hand through his sandy blonde hair. "She's gonna be just like Sawyer when she gets older. Stubborn and able to get her way."

"Tell me about it. Hattie and Mae have me wrapped around their fingers already. I'm gonna be in a world of hurt if this new baby ends up being a girl too. Can you imagine?"

"That'd be a lot of estrogen in one house." Ben laughed and picked up a bat and stretched. He glanced around the dugout to the outfield grass beyond the fence. Sawyer was playing patty cake with the twins, and the sunlight was bouncing off her blonde, mess of hair that Miller and Bo had both gotten from her.

"Trammell. You're on deck now."

Ben heard his name being called and he started to walk to the on deck circle still thinking about his little family not fifty yards away. Up to the plate, Ben gripped the bat and eyed the pitch as it soared towards him. It wouldn't matter if it was a base hit or a home run. Ben knew he'd already knocked it out of the park.

The crack of the bat echoed off of home plate and Ben sprinted for first base. He could hear Sawyer's cheers as he rounded first and he slid into second with a double. He caught Sawyer's eyes and sent a wink her way as he patted his helmet and clapped his hands.

Sure, he'd hit that ball for his teammates, but he was really doing it for her. He'd do anything for Sawyer, and there was only one more thing he had to do.

**OTHOTH**

It was close to five-thirty and the noise from the hairdryer created a deafening echo in the bathroom. Sawyer was frantically trying to finish getting ready. Ben was on his way back from dropping the twins with the sitter and Sawyer was trying to tame her wild hair for the wedding. They had thirty minutes before they needed to be downtown, and Sawyer knew they would be cutting it close.

"Ben?" Sawyer called over her shoulder wondering if he was back yet. She needed him to zip up her dress. "Or not..." Sawyer started to blush up her checks and dab mascara on when she heard Ben walk through the house. She didn't hear him say hello, but only the rustling of hangers in the closet. "What are you doing?" Sawyer slid one earring in and walked into the bedroom.

"Bo spit up on me!" He held his left arm out to show the trail of grossness that went down the front of his jacket. "I don't have another jacket that will go with these pants."

"Oh my god... Are you kidding?" Sawyer moved closer to him to see if his jacket was salvageable but it wasn't. "What about your blue one?"

"I have to iron it...and the pants."

"What about the gray suit?"

"The pocket is ripped."

"Well nobody is going to _see_ the pocket." They were in a time crunch, and the gray suit was perfectly fine.

Ben started to get his gray suit out of the closet and told Sawyer to look for a tie. "The purple one. Get the purple one." Frantically hurrying to the laundry room, Ben quickly tried to steam his clothes. Once they were as wrinkle free as they were gonna get, Ben slid his pants on and ran back to the bedroom. He grabbed the dress shirt and slipped it on and then secured his tie around his neck. Ben put the jacket over his shoulders and started to get his things. He dropped his wallet in his pocket and felt it slide down his leg to his shoe. Obviously that was the busted pocket.

"Ok, are you ready?" Sawyer had her purse and looked at Ben with wide eyes. "We have got to _fly_ downtown."

"I know. Sorry." He got the keys from the dresser and followed Sawyer out of the house. "Hold on, hold on. Sawyer, wait..." Ben stopped Sawyer at the front stoop of their house and stood behind her. "You're dress..." He pulled the zipper up to the top and hooked the clasp.

"Oh, thanks." She turned to look at him and smiled.

He simply nodded and they hurried to the car. The duo sped downtown and made it there just before the ushers closed the church doors. Sawyer and Ben found seats near the back and didn't have long until the ceremony began. Ben snaked his arm over Sawyer's shoulders and leaned close to her. He hadn't gotten a chance to tell Sawyer how good she looked. Her hair, her dress, her skin; Sawyer was stunning.

"You look beautiful by the way."

Her blue eyes found his and there was true sincerity in her voice when she replied back. "Thank you."

The soft music began throughout the church and the wedding party began to walk down the aisle. Before groomsmen or bridesmaids entered, the mothers of the bride and groom were escorted to their seats.

"Oh gosh...here comes Brooke." Sawyer turned to watch her godmother. Brooke looked fabulous as usual but it was the smile and genuine happiness the raspy-voiced woman was wearing that stole the show. There was an emotional glossy sheen that came across Brooke's dark eyes and Sawyer even found herself getting choked up. She was so happy for Davis and Amelia, and probably more excited for Brooke. Her god-mother had wanted this for a long time. Looking forward, Sawyer caught sight of her own mother. Peyton winked at her oldest causing Sawyer to smile in return.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen were next. A colorful line passed Sawyer and Ben by, and the Coastie leaned into his girlfriend. It didn't seem like it had been that long since they'd been in Charlotte and Graham's wedding party.

As the bride readied herself, the crowd of friends and family stood up. Sawyer could feel Ben at her back and the support he gave as she leaned against his chest. Amelia started to walk towards Davis, and Sawyer couldn't deny her empathy. A small, teeny-tiny, portion of her heart was beating with a sharp ferocity just as Amelia's probably was. Sawyer never imagined herself wanting all of this. What would a piece of paper and rings change about a relationship? Nothing. At least that's what Sawyer always thought. But feeling the ambiance of the wedding and standing next to Ben as they watched Davis and Amelia exchange vows, Sawyer felt her curiosity creep up. She glanced down to her hands and rubbed her empty ring finger. It didn't feel vacant, it didn't feel lonely. This wedding stuff was just going to her head.

"Beautiful wedding, wasn't it." An older woman next to Sawyer smiled as they watched Davis and Amelia walk hand in hand out of the church.

"Mmm-hmm." Sawyer nodded and felt the flame of curiosity dampen as the ceremony came to a close.

"Hey...let's go out the side and beat the traffic." Ben touched Sawyer's shoulder and pointed to the side exit of the church.

Following each other outside, the two thirty-somethings made it to the car and drove off to the reception. Sawyer called to check in on the babies and was happy to hear they were doing well.

"So no catastrophe's?" Ben turned the car toward the country club and grinned.

"Not yet." Sawyer looked out the window and shook her head thinking of the wardrobe malfunction. "Not like earlier." Turning to Ben, Sawyer arched her brow. "You were flying Bo in the air, weren't you?"

Stammering, Ben shrugged his shoulders. "It wouldn't have been so bad if you did give him those Gerber snacks right before."

"He was hungry." Sawyer cut her eyes at Ben. He wasn't about to make that her fault, was he?

"But you gave him like _two_ handfuls."

"Ben..." Sawyer clinched her jaw shut and took a deep breath. They weren't going to fight about this right now.

"Sawyer..." In a condescending tone, he shot her name right back at her.

Sternly looking out the window, the blonde ignored the Coastie all the way to the reception. Without a word, Sawyer slipped out of the car and walked ten yards ahead of her boyfriend into the country club. Spotting Charlotte, Sawyer mazed through the crowds and sat down at the table where her cousin was.

"Hey. We didn't see you at the..." Charlotte's words fell short of a full sentence when she noticed Sawyer's demeanor. "What's wrong?"

Sighing, Sawyer shook her head and eyed Charlotte's drink and swiped a quick sick to settle her anger and disappointment of her and Ben's last exchange. "Ugh..." Setting the drink down, the blonde's eye brow's bunched. "What in the hell is that?"

Wincing, Charlotte laughed. "Tonic...you know..." Rubbing her hands over her pregnant belly, the brunette laughed, "since I'm _with child _and all."

Momentarily forgetting her best friends was seven months pregnant, Sawyer looked at the drink and shuttered.

"Well what's with this broody face? What happened?"

Sawyer took a long, deep breath. "Just Ben being Ben, not wanting to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong. He's always wants to be the good guy when things go wrong. Somehow it's always _my_ fault." Sawyer could see Charlotte needed more to go on so she went on. "Long story short. Before the twins went to the sitters I gave Bo a handful of those Gerber...snack things. Well, then, Ben thought it would be a good idea to through Bo around in the air, but it wasn't, and Bo spit up all over Ben."

Frowning, Charlotte contorted her face.

"Yeah, so I've told him a million times that it's dumb to do that, but he did it anyway, and then he practically said it my fault because I was the one that gave Bo food. But I'm sorry, when my son is hungry...I'm going to feed him."

Charlotte leaned back on her chair and rested her hand on her stomach. "Those little fights are just gonna happen. Yesterday Graham and I argued about what kind of applesauce to get at the grocery store. It's dumb and in hindsight absolutely ridiculous, but don't let it get to you."

"Applesauce?" Sawyer let out a laugh arching her brow.

"See how absurd it seems?" Charlotte shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "You're going to argue about dumb stuff. It's just going to happen. No relationship is perfect, and add in kids, and you've got plenty on your plate. A little tug-of-war between the two of you isn't so bad."

Sawyer scanned the room and felt her eyes fall on two men sitting by the bar. Both had blondish hair, though one was graying, and both had blue eyes. Ben was sitting with Lucas and Sawyer swallowed a lump in her throat. They were probably talking about her.

"Go talk to him," Charlotte encouraged.

Propelled by her best friend's words, Sawyer got up and made her way across the ballroom to the bar. She approached the men and eyed an empty stool next to her father. "This seat taken?"

Lucas shook his head taking a sip from his beer. "It's yours if you want it." He watched his thirty-three year old take a seat. "Do you want something to drink?"

Sawyer politely declined and shook her head. "I'm alright for now."

Sensing the awkwardness between Sawyer and Ben, Lucas started to get off his stool. "I'm gonna go find your mom."

Lucas drifted away from the bar leaving the other two separated by an empty bar stool. Divided by the hollow space, there was obvious distance between Sawyer and Ben. He was fiddling with his fingers thinking of her coarse attitude in the car, and Sawyer was starring down at the hem of her dress disappointed with the way he'd spoken to her. After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity, Sawyer and Ben both turned to one another to speak.

"Sorry", they both said at once.

Letting out a small laugh, Sawyer felt her Scott smirk creep over her lips. "Jinx."

Ben grinned and motioned to the bar tender to get a second drink. "It's not a Coke but..." He watched Sawyer grab his drink and take a swing and an ice cube all at once.

Sawyer crunched the ice between her teeth and lifted her brow. "We can share for now."

Studying the woman before him, Ben scooted over to the empty stool and propped his head up with his hand. "Why do we make things so difficult?"

"I think it's just in our nature." Sawyer turned her stool so her waist was square with Ben's. She looked at his face studying the roundness of his cheeks, and the sun-kissed tan he'd gotten playing in the baseball game. He was so handsome, and deserving of so much more. "Cause we're opposites."

"Oh I don't think so." Ben grinned and shook his head. "I think we're just alike."

"Since when?"

Raising his shoulders, Ben watched the bartender set Sawyer's drink down. He wasn't going to expand upon his statement. He'd let her think about it for a minute. While Sawyer consciously thought about what's he'd said, Ben reached over and took the first sip from Sawyer's drink. The whiskey that ran over his tongue had a sweetness that quickly morphed into a cool burn as it ran down his throat. He saw her scowl, and Ben could only grin. Clearly she'd wanted the first sip. "Now we're even."

Hopping off the stool, Sawyer gulped down her drink after hearing the bass guitar introduce the melody of a familiar song. Grabbing Ben by the hand, Sawyer pulled him to the dance floor and looked over her shoulder. "We're not even close."

Ben followed Sawyer and couldn't help but laugh. It was always a game with them, some type of competition. The music buzzed through their ears and Ben watched as Sawyer's hips sashayed ahead of him. She'd always win. No matter what it was they were doing or saying, Sawyer had that way about her, and Ben didn't even mind.

**OTHOTH**

Spring fell into summer and summer was quickly coming to a close. The August breeze was humid as it came in through the kitchen window. Feeling the sweet air against her cheek, Sawyer used the front of her wrist to whisk away an itch on her forehead. She looked at her sorry attempt at cutting up vegetables and grimaced.

"It might be a little longer than I thought."

Kneeling down on the floor, Ben held Miller's little hands in his own and smiled as he practiced walking with her. "That's okay. We need the extra time, don't we, Mills?" The little girl's blonde curls bounced as her feet slid out front under her. "Whoa, partner." Ben tightened his grip on his daughter and steadied her.

Sawyer slung a dishrag over her shoulder and watched Ben work with Miller. It probably would be another month before either of the twins walked, but it was sweet to watch the Coastie work with the ten month old. Maybe Sawyer would be wrong? Maybe Ben's hard work and patience would pay off. Maybe one of their tots would walk before Ben left on a three week patrol. Maybe, but probably not. He was scheduled to leave in the morning.

"Oh...oh..." Ben's knees were killing him as they dug into the hardwood, but he didn't care. Miller was standing up all by herself. That was a triumph of its own. "Call her name, OJ. She might try to step to you."

Sawyer eagerly knelt down and held out her arms. "Come here, Miller. Come on."

As if cheering on his sister, Bo started kicking his legs in his high chair and held out his tongue.

Both waiting for that monumental milestone of Miller's first steps, Sawyer and Ben were frozen in place. They were silent and the only noise in the room came from Bo and the bustle of cicadas outside.

"Go to Mom, Miller. You got it."

Just as frozen as her parents, Miller looked from her mom to her dad. Now he wanted her?

Laughing, Sawyer shook her head. "I think we're confusing her." Like calling for a dog, Sawyer gently clapped her hands. "Here, Miller. Come here."

In the other room asleep on the floor by the couch, Trout perked his ears up at the command. His got up and made his way to the kitchen, his nails clicking on the floor. The copper colored golden retriever stood at the entryway and tilted his head. What was it they wanted?

"No, Trout. Not you."

Ben laughed and looked over to their dog. "That's what you get when you call for Miller like an animal."

"Well how else am I supposed to do it?"

Grinning at his girlfriend, Ben didn't have an answer.

With the dog and the baby still frozen in place somebody was going to have to make a move. Like an old western movie, Miller and Trout were staring at each other. No holsters or guns involved. Only Huggies around her hips, Miller looked like she was ready. One foot slowly raised from the ground, her tiny barefoot pointing in the direction of her mother. But Trout didn't and wasn't going to back down. He'd been at that house much longer than those babies. He'd let them tug on his ears and pull on his tail, but he was making the first move. His paws clomped over the floor and when he neared the small child, Miller promptly plopped down on her bottom.

"No! We were sooo close!" Ben scooped up the little girl and shook his head. "Gotta take initiative, Mills." He placed her in her high chair next to Bo and looked at the boy. "You're next. After dinner it's you and me, bud."

"Let's work on getting dinner done first." Sawyer turned to look at her lack of preparation and winced. She'd managed to get the kids' food done, but the send off steak dinner she and Ben were supposed to have was still in the works.

"They're almost done. You want to wait till their down and then we can worry about us?" It wouldn't be much longer till the kiddos were asleep for the night. Bo was already thumbing his eyelashes.

Nodding at Ben's great idea, Sawyer put the steaks back in the fridge and knew the rest could wait. She walked over to Miller and pulled up a chair.

Holding out a spoon for Sawyer, Ben arched his brow with that boyish smile. "Conductor Scott, your train needs a little bit of fuel."

Rolling her eyes because he was so much better at that kind of stuff, Sawyer took the spoon and dipped it in the jar of pureed sweat potatoes. She looked to Miller and held out the food. "Chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga..." Moving the spoon towards the little girl, Sawyer couldn't help but smile even if she felt childish.

"Choo-Choo!" Ben followed Sawyer's lead and fed Bo a hearty amount of potatoes. Sawyer watched the two Trammell boys work like clockwork. They had it down to a science. "It's all about the arm movement." Ben fed Bo another spoonful and pulled his arm down like a conductor as he said choo-choo.

Sawyer could only laugh and tried the same moves with Miller. It wasn't as fluid as Bo and Ben's teamwork, but Miller was getting her nutrients none the less. The littler blonde had a goatee of orange, but that didn't phase Sawyer. The babies would get a bath before bed, anyways.

Once dinner was over, Ben kept the kids entertained while Sawyer got the bath water ready. She got out an extra bottle of no-tears shampoo because Ben had a bad habit of using way too much. Styling Miller and Bo's hair into soapy mohawks midway into bathing took more than skill. It called for lots and lots of shampoo. Miller and Bo had done a decent job of maintaining bath etiquette throughout. A smaller portion of water ended up on the floor than normal and there were no tantrums from either of them. Sunken cars and trains were at the bottom of the bathtub as the water drained out.

Tag-teaming, Sawyer and Ben dressed the twins in matching pajamas with little fish on them. Sawyer gently ran a comb over their heads and parted their fine blonde hair while Ben set the needle on the record and turned the volume so it would softly buzz throughout the room. Just like their mom, Miller and Bo seemed at ease with music. It would only take a song or two and they'd be fast asleep.

Sawyer was seated in the rocking chair with Miller in her arms and Ben was standing, slowing swaying with Bo. Through the darkness, Sawyer watched the lovable goofball press his cheek against their son's head. It was such a sweet, subtle moment that Sawyer could watch over and over again. The piano and soft strings echoed through the babies' room and Miller let out a lone hiccup. Sawyer looked down to the little girl and smiled. Just like her mother, Miller was stubborn and was going to fight sleep as long as she could stand it. Bo always fell asleep first.

After making sure the twins were down for the night, Sawyer walked from the back of the house to the front. Ben was stretched out on the couch, one hand behind his head, the other perched on his chest, and his eyes glued to the television recap of the latest Braves game.

"We win?" She slowly walked towards him and watched him shift around on the couch so she could fit.

"No. The Cardinals killed us. Seven to one."

Laying down next to him, Sawyer leaned back into his chest and rested her head on the crook of Ben's elbow. "Ugh...well that sucks." She felt her weight move and she yelped with a laugh. The hardwood floor was going to hurt if she fell off. "Oh God...we're not gonna fit." Their couch didn't seem big enough to hold them both laying down.

"I got you." Laughing at her girly cry, Ben moved his arm to to hold her side. Her tall frame needed securing. Sawyer's shampoo floated through the air and he changed the subject. "Y'all gonna be alright while I'm gone?"

She leaned her cheek into his chest with a smile. "With you gone. I can have that fling with the bag boy at Food Lion."

"Haha. Very funny." Ben rolled his eyes. He knew that on some level Sawyer used humor to fight off the reality of him leaving. It was probably easier to joke about than really thinking it through. The Coastie took a deep breath and turned more serious. "Miller's gonna walk when I'm gone."

"Maybe not." Sawyer shook her head. She didn't want to think that he might miss a milestone.

"She will. I know it. She was so close earlier."

"I'll...I'll push her back down then." Sawyer couldn't tell if she herself was being serious or not.

Ben laughed and shook his head. "No. No. It might be kind of cool to come back home and have her walk to me at the dock. Maybe both of them will be walking by then?" Three weeks was a long time for the twins to practice.

There was a long silence between the two thirty-somethings. Sawyer snaked her arm around Ben's torso and took a deep breath. A small laugh escaped from her lips.

"What?"

Initially not wanting to explain, Sawyer shook her head and rested her cheek on his chest. "It...it's the bar soap." Her cheeks felt warm and she started to smile. "You've used it as long as I've known you, and...I don't know." Embarrassed, Sawyer closed her eyes. "It's comfortable."

Smiling, the Coastie pulled Sawyer closer. "We're comfortable, aren't we?" More than a literal question, Ben was asking about their relationship as a whole.

Turning to face him, the blonde woman nodded. She didn't need to say anything. It was all in her eyes. Ben could see the last nine years of his life in that look. Nine years. It was incredible it had been that long.

Ben ran his arms around her sides and used his strength to pull her closer. His blue eyes met hers but she kissed him before he could kiss her. Soft but powerful, Sawyer acted first. Resting all of her body weight on Ben, Sawyer's hot lips left a burn of temptation on Ben's. His strong fingers ran along her back and under her shirt. He held her against himself and felt Sawyer burry her face in the crook of his neck. Her nose was just below his ear, and Ben closed his eyes, his arms holding her in place.

They stayed like that for a minute or two. Their sweet embrace was broken up when Sawyer's stomach started to growl.

"We forgot to eat, didn't we?" Ben started to grin and moved out from under his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I guess so." Sawyer nodded and brushed her hand through her tangled mess of blonde. "I can do those steaks in a skillet pretty fast."

"That sounds good." He followed her into the kitchen but had to go grab something. "I'll be right back."

While Ben was gone, Sawyer found the cast iron skillet and dropped some butter on the bottom. She cranked the stove and watched the yellow square of butter melt into a pool of bubbling oil. The steaks sizzled against the heated pan and sent a peppery aroma into the air.

Ben came back into view and Sawyer kicked her head towards the cabinet. "Grab two plates, will you?"

Getting two mismatched plates that came from a hodgepodge of his and her stuff, Ben opened the refrigerator. "Do you want a salad too?" They looked at each other and both of them shrugged. The more they made, the more than had to clean up.

When the pair did get around to doing the dishes, most of it wasn't theres. Colorful plastic bowls, plates, and utensils started to fill the sink. Disney character after Disney character ended up in the sink. Like an assembly line, Ben would hand Sawyer the dishes and she'd douse them with soap and water.

"Looks like somebody didn't eat all her turkey." Ben put Miller's plate down and grinned. "She's gonna be our picky eater, huh?"

"Probably." Drying a sippy cup, Sawyer nodded. "Is there more?" She reached out for the last of the plates and ran them under the warm water drawing her attention to the sink.

Standing next to her, Ben slipped his hand in his pocket. His fingers wrapped around the small black box he'd gotten from the laundry room. He coudln't help but hold his breath. Ben's sudden nerves were getting the best of him. With one quick breath, he pulled the box out and slid it a few inches down the counter to Sawyer.

Shaking her hands over the sink, the blonde turned to the next thing Ben passed her. Her eyes found the little black box and she felt the air leaves her lungs. Was that what she thought it was? Sawyer knew it was and her eyes started to water. She'd always thought about this moment, but she never imagined to get so emotional. Her chin bunched into a quiver and Sawyer covered her mouth. He better be serious.

With a wide, goofy grin, Ben faced Sawyer and picked up the box. "I don't care if we have five people or five hundred people at the wedding. I don't care if it's just you and me at the courthouse. But I want to marry you." He paused and stepped closer to her. "I always have." Ben brushed one of his hands through her hair and placed a sweet kiss on her temple.

The tenderness in his voice made her believe it. Fighting back tears, Sawyer cocked her hand on her hip and bit her bottom lip. She looked up to Ben and nodded. "I want to marry you, too."

Brushing a tear away from her cheek with his thumb, Ben smiled. "I thought you might say that." Something about a simple moment in the kitchen had felt right.

Laughing, Sawyer kissed Ben and threw her arms around him.

"Don't you want to see it?" He was still holding the little black box, unopened, in his hand.

Forgetting that she hadn't even seen the ring yet, Sawyer moved away from Ben and watched him open the box. The anticipation killed her, but as soon as she saw the platinum setting and sizable diamond, her eyes widened. She instantly reached for it and discovered its antique nature. It wasn't made to look old. It was old. With characters of the early twenties, the ring was beautiful. It was classy, it had age, it had style. Sawyer's name was all over it. She loved it.

Sawyer held her shaky hand out for Ben to slip the ring on, and he was just as delicate as ever in doing so. Once settled in its new permanent home, they both studied the ring before looking to each other.

Sawyer Scott always knew she'd marry Ben Trammell, and marry him she would.

**OTHOTH**

**Finally, right? After was feels like an eternity of will they or won't they, Ben did finally ask her to marry him. Though, if you caught it, it wasn't even a question at all. Next chapter we'll see what happens when tasked with planning a wedding and how that sits with the couple. It's either going to go really well, or not. You be the judge.**

**My reviewers, you are all amazeballs. Literal balls of amazement. I mean that. I do. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement!**

**Guest: I won't be able to hit all the milestones. That would make this story drag on, but I'll try to hit the high notes...or at least mention them in some capacity.**

**Penguins crying: Looks like your questions regarding a proposal from Ben were right on spot. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Guest 2: Thank you for the review!**

**Guest 3: Like I said in Guest 1's reply, I'll try to show some of the moments. I won't be able to them all cause I don't want the story to drag on and be too fluffy. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Guest 4: (you review ch. 1) Yay, I'm glad I'm portraying Sawyer as you imagined her too. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Review Please!**


	26. Tiny Steps

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 26: Tiny Steps**

**Disclaimer: Big shout out to Mark for creating this character I love to expand upon, and Elvis Costello for the songs that seem to fit her life! **

**A/N: Now that Sawyer and Ben are engaged, we're gonna see how this wedding will go down...if it happens, that is. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer woke up early the next morning. Ben had tried to be quiet, but when his weight shifted off the bed, Sawyer could tell. Laying on her side, Sawyer glanced from Ben and his Daffy Duck boxers to the ring on her finger.

They were getting married.

A smile started to creep across the blonde's face as the sun came over the horizon. The morning light came through the window and Ben sweetly went to twist the blinds close. He thought she was still asleep and wanted Sawyer to get her rest. They'd stayed up late talking about the wedding; kissing and cuddling between ideas. So far the wedding would be simple. If things worked out Captain Turner, the kind gentleman who was at the helm of Ben's boat, would officiate a small ceremony on the Diligence. A reception would follow at the family owned music venue and bar, Tric. Brooke would make a dress. Charlotte would be Sawyer's lone bridesmaid, and Graham would be Ben's. They'd go with traditional vows and a quaint, three-tiered cake. Ben tried to sell Sawyer with an idea for Peanut Butter frosting but, the blonde knew better. Butter crème it would be. Ben could have Peanut Butter on the groom's cake if they had one. A DJ or a band, Sawyer and Ben would certainly have music, whichever was easier to come by. Colors, and flowers, and the date would be figured in the mix later, but they had a plan.

They were getting married.

Sliding her bare skin against the cool sheets, Sawyer pushed some of her hair away from her face and smiled at the guy standing by the foot of the bed. "You know..." Stretching so the sheets fell down her back, Sawyer arched her brow with a smirk, "It's probably a bad omen to run out on your fiancee right after you propose."

Folding one of his USCG shirts, Ben looked up and shook his head. Her tanned bare back momentarily distracted him. "Unconventional...maybe." The Coastie nodded, "But it might not be so bad." He dropped the shirt in the duffle bag and shuffled his feet towards her. "It might be more exciting to see me come home this time." He sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her collarbone. "Besides you'll want to show off your promotion."

"Promotion?"

"Mmm-hmm." Ben nodded and pressed his lips below her ear. "I know how it works when we come back. The wives huddle together by the first post of the dock. The girlfriends are a little bit further away, and parents stand at the curb of the dock and Water Street. And the ones with kids are just trying to keep them out of the way."

"And what about fiancees?" She could still feel his kisses on her skin. "Fiancees _with_ kids."

"Well..." Ben let his grin return and he grazed his cheek against hers before looking right at Sawyer. "That's kind of a tricky one." He kissed her softly. "You'll push the stroller where Miller and Bo can see the boat come in, accidentally on purpose holding out your left hand for any and all to see. Then once Captain Turner's wife makes a big commotion about it, you'll sit down on the bench and watch us file off the boat. You'll be far enough away see the other wives hug their guys and I'll come walking up to you, my duffle slung over my shoulder, and greet you like a fiance should." His lips pushed against Sawyer's one more time.

"And...and how's that?" She slowly opened her eyes and saw that his hand was up.

"With a high five."

Slapping his palm, Sawyer laughed. "Ben!"

He playfully moved off their bed and shrugged his shoulders. "You'll have to wait and find out."

"You suck, you know that." Falling back against the pillows, the thirty-two year old narrowed her eyes.

Ben started to put on his clothes and looked over to Sawyer. His head popped out of his undershirt and he could only smirk. "You'll live, OJ."

She watched Ben finish getting dressed and sighed. The light caught her ring and Sawyer was taken by it. They were getting married, and she could barely believe it.

Securing the top button of his operational uniform, Ben brushed his hands down his shirt and pants to smooth it out. He caught his reflection in the bathroom mirror and grinned at himself, congratulating the sweet success of having Sawyer say yes. He hurried back into the bedroom to see Sawyer flinging on one of his big t-shirts. The hem of the shirt settled on her upper thigh.

Ben grabbed his duffle and looked at the door. "Drew will be here in ten minutes."

Silently nodding, Sawyer watched Ben disappear out of their bedroom. Sawyer had wanted to drive Ben down to the Riverwalk and send him off, but having two ten month olds made that harder than it needed to be. It was going to be a lot easier for Drew to pick Ben up, so they would have to worry about waking up the twins and strapping them in the carseats.

Sawyer was stirring sugar into her coffee when Ben walked out from the back. He put his bag down and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Miller and Bo are on strict orders to be on their best behavior while I'm gone."

With an arched brow, the blonde smiled. "Oh really?" Sawyer sipped her coffee and realized she needed more creamer when the bitter taste lingered in her mouth.

Smiling, Ben walked towards her and had to tell the truth. "Probably not. They were both asleep when I was talking to them."

"Well we're bound to have good days and bad days." Sawyer rested her coffee cup on the kitchen counter and walked closer to him. She'd seen the shadow of Drew's car pull up to the curb. "Hopefully more good days."

Knowing full well they had just another minute or two together, Ben pulled Sawyer into his chest and rested his cheek on the side of her hair. "I won't be gone too long."

"I know." A defeated sigh slipped from Sawyer's mouth. It wouldn't matter how much she fought it, Ben would leave no matter what.

"Have fun telling everybody." One of his hands slipped over her left one, feeling the contours of the ring he'd given her last night.

"I will." Sawyer pulled away from Ben and nodded, her smile showing a hint of sadness. She'd rather share the news with him at her side, but it wasn't an option she was afforded.

A momentary silence came between the two. This was always the worst part of it. Not necessarily goodbye, but a prolonged see you later. It was different this time. Harder. Now they had the babies and now they were engaged.

Raising on her toes, Sawyer pressed a sweet kiss onto the corner of his mouth and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Bye."

"Bye." Ben mimicked her movements and left a kiss on her lips before heading for the door.

It would be three weeks till he came home. It would feel like a lifetime, but Sawyer knew she'd be able to keep herself busy. Looking down, she knew the first major thing would be an announcement that would surprise everyone. It had surprised her, and she could only imagine it would knock a few people off their feet.

**OTHOTH**

Bo had woken up first and Sawyer had been ready for it. She'd laid out the twins' clothes before they'd woken up, had breakfast ready at the touch of a button, and had packed the diaper bag full for a day's outing. Like most Monday mornings, Sawyer would take Miller and Bo to Tric with her, but this time she didn't go straight to the office. Instead, the mother of two turned towards a familiar yellow house.

When she pulled up to the curb, Sawyer was thankful that Peyton was already outside. Her mom was watering window box flowers that looked wilted and sad. It was bad enough that Peyton was a mediocre cook at best, but she wasn't a very good gardener either. Music was her thing. Not flowers or casseroles.

Turning towards the street, Peyton saw her oldest getting out of the Wagoneer. She turned the hose off and placed her hands on her hips. "And what do we owe the occasion?" A smile as wide as the front porch beamed towards Sawyer, and Peyton started down the steps.

Sawyer hoisted Miller out from the carseat and was sure to hide her left hand under the little girl's behind. Peyton happily got her youngest grandson from the other side of the car and walked back into the house with Sawyer.

Lucas was sitting at the kitchen table diligently working on a crossword puzzle, unaware of the company that had just walked into the house.

"Luke, look who stopped by," Peyton called over her shoulder as she shut the front door.

Sawyer placed Miller's feet on the floor and held onto her hands. The long hallway to the kitchen was the perfect place for Miller to show off her new skills. Slowly guiding Miller's steps, Sawyer shuffled her feet behind the little girl towards Lucas.

Peyton was walking step for step with Miller encouraging her granddaughter until something other than tiny steps caught her eye. Spotting something shiny on Sawyer's left hand, Peyton felt her mouth fall into an open-mouthed smile. Ben had finally asked her, hadn't he?

"Look at you go, Miller." Lucas was wearing a sweet grin on his face and he was holding his hands out.

With three or four feet to go from the older man, Miller's feet stopped cooperating and slid out from under her. Sawyer scooted herself over to the little girl and Miller her into her lap. "She's getting pretty good, huh?"

Peyton was still in a bit of shock, and could only bounce Bo in her arms.

"Good? She's gonna be walking on her own in no time." Lucas looked to the little girl and smiled brightly.

"But you didn't come over to show off Miller, did you?" Peyton had found her voice and arched her brow with a smirk.

Sawyer looked up to her mom from her spot on the kitchen floor and matched Peyton's smirk. Shaking her head, the younger blonde traced her eyes down her arm to the ring Ben had given her last night.

Lucas had not quite caught on and furrowed his brow in true Lucas Scott fashion. "Wha..." He looked to his wife and back to Sawyer. "What?"

Rubbing her right thumb down Miller's little forearm, Sawyer lifted her left hand by her face. "I'm getting married, Dad."

It wasn't shock on Lucas's face. It was pure joy. He'd known for a while that Sawyer and Ben would get married. He just wasn't sure when. It had, after all, been almost two years since Ben came to both him and Peyton one night asking them for her hand in marriage.

_It was quite outside. The dark night had fallen over Tree Hill and the golden beams from his 4-Runner lit up the street in front of Lucas and Peyton's house. His nervous stare went to the dashboard clock and seeing that it was almost eleven, Ben regretted his timing. It was late. The last thing he wanted to do was to wake them up or keep them from their evening routine, but Ben couldn't wait._

_After a small pep talk, Ben got out of the car and strolled up the pathway leading to Sawyer's parents door. His nerves doubled with each step, but he pushed past them and knocked on the door. The front porch light wasn't even on and Ben swallowed hard. It wasn't gonna happen tonight, was it?_

_Waiting for what felt like an hour, Ben stood on the front porch with the sounds of cicadas and a calm wind. With no answer and a sense of defeat, Ben turned around and started for his car. He knew he'd been too late. His feet stepped off the porch and he walked away with disappointment._

"_Who's there?" The front door opened and a man's voice called out._

_Spinning around on his heels, Ben was temporarily blinded as the porch lights came on. He walked toward the shadowy figure, holding his hand to the light. "It's me. It's Ben."_

_Lucas furrowed his brow and rubbed his hairline. Ben? What was he doing there?_

"_Luke, what is it?" Peyton stood behind her husband's shoulder and was tightening the belt of her bathrobe. When she glanced to the porch, her brow furrowed just like Lucas's had. "Ben, what are you doing here?"_

"_I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come so late." His feet made it back up the stairs. "I just..." He sighed and looked to the two people he had a tremendous amount of respect for._

"_Come in. Come in." Peyton moved away from the door and waved him inside._

_Ben shook his head. "It's fine. This won't take long. I uh..." His stammer was paired with a nervous tick. The Coastie rubbed his hands together and looked straight to Sawyer's parents. "I want to marry Sawyer, and I'd like to have your blessing."_

_Peyton was the first to react. Her eyes went wide and she propped her knuckles just above her hips with a happy laugh. Lucas looked to Peyton and had that same feeling rush over him. He wasn't as explicit with his body language, but he'd known Ben was the one for Sawyer all along. They both had._

_Holding out his hand, Lucas shook Ben's with a grin._

"_And don't get me wrong. This isn't because of the pregnancy. I've thought about this for a long, long time." Sawyer was five months pregnant but Ben wasn't going to marry her out of obligation. Ben was going to marry her because he loved Sawyer and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him if she'd let him._

"_So have we." Lucas started to grin as his daughter's future played out in his head. Ever since they'd met Ben Trammell, Lucas and Peyton both knew there was something special there. He wasn't just another guy. Sawyer needed Ben. Now she was getting everything she wanted; everything they'd wanted for her. _

_Peyton clapped her hands together and couldn't help but hug the thirty-one year old. "Oh Ben..." She moved away from him and bit her lip with a laugh. "You're the best thing that's happened to her."_

_Not in Ben's mind. She's the one that happened to him. She was the one that threw her orange juice all over him that morning so many years ago. It was Sawyer who'd made the first move. He was going to finish what she'd started. "I'm not even sure when it will happen. When I'll propose... You never know with her. I just wanted to go ahead and ask y'all first."_

_Peyton was wooed by his southern charm and knew her daughter had found a good one. She wasn't sold on Sawyer getting married, her oldest had been pretty vocal about forgoing the traditional route, but if anyone was going to change her mind, it was the handsome guy in front of her._

_Leaning back against the doorframe, Lucas laughed and shook his head. "I honestly never thought this day would come." Massaging his fingertips into his brow, Lucas looked back to Ben. "But I'm glad it's gonna be you."_

_Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Ben swelled with pride. He knew it had taken a lot to tame Sawyer Scott. Hell, it had taken Ben nearly seven years so far. "Thank you" He looked back to the car, pointing his thumb towards it. "I uh...I should get back. Sorry for coming so late."_

"_You have nothing to be sorry for." Peyton reached out, placing her hand on Ben's forearm with a genuine smile._

_Standing in their doorway, Lucas and Peyton watched Ben pull away. The man pulled his high-school sweetheart into his side and pressed a kiss to her hair._

"_Luke, she's gonna get married." Closing her eyes, Peyton sighed, not believing her own words._

"_I know." Lucas was still shaking his head in a bit of shock. "I know." He repeated himself and then hit the porch light. Darkness surrounded them both and the pair walked away from the front door._

Peyton exchanged a glance with Lucas, the same one they'd shared when Ben had stood on their porch, and she felt her stomach fill with butterflies. It was happening. Their daughter was finally getting married.

**OTHOTH**

News of Sawyer and Ben's engagement spread through Tree Hill like a California wild fire. It had only been three days since it had happened, but it was all the town could seem to talk about. Literally everyone. Sawyer couldn't go to the grocery store, the bank; practically anywhere without someone bringing it up or offering congratulations. Seeing as she was the only one of the two in town, Sawyer was getting it from everyone- the people she knew, the people Ben knew, sometimes even strangers said something.

In a matter of just a few short days, Sawyer realized how popular their love story had become. Small towns seemed to thrive off of the drama that came from young love- love of any age, really. Tree Hill was no different. Considering Sawyer's whole family had shared the town's spotlight at one time or another, it should have come as no surprise to Sawyer that she was the talk of the town. But it did. And now there seemed to be an added weight of pressure when it came to the Scott-Trammell wedding.

The planning process was even elaborate. By no fault of their own, Charlotte, Brooke, Haley and Peyton had come together with their scrapbooks, magazines, and color swatches to help plan a wedding they'd only hoped would happen. Now that it was, they couldn't contain their eager attempts at helping Sawyer.

It was just Sawyer wasn't sure she wanted _all_ of their help.

Sitting beneath the covered deck of Elija's, Sawyer sipped on a Coke and watched the river run by her as her best friend, mother, and aunts chit-chatted away about flower arrangements. Once the women had started talking about the various shades of purple and red, Sawyer had tuned them out. She gave them credit for their determination and heartfelt attempt, but Sawyer and Ben had made plans. Temporary, thrown-together ideas, but she knew what she wanted.

Sawyer didn't want purple or red anything.

Clearing her throat, Sawyer looked to the four women and shrugged her shoulders. "I love you all for wanting to help but I think Ben and I know what we want." Sawyer had agreed to go to lunch and discuss the wedding so she wouldn't be rude, and to quite honestly, get an afternoon away from the kids.

Brooke could understand, but a quaint boat wedding seemed too small. "But what about everyone else? I get a sweet wedding on the boat, but a big reception at Tric would be great." Brooke looked to Peyton for a little help.

"It doesn't have to be that big." The hazel-eyed woman looked to her daughter and nodded. She and Lucas had had a wonderful reception at Tric.

"And we don't have to purple or pink. Neutral colors work too." Charlotte had already had her moment of wedded bliss, and she remembered this was Sawyer's wedding not theirs.

"I don't think I even want flowers. Why spend the money?" Sawyer shook her head. "I don't have to hold anything." The younger blonde could tell she'd put the others in their place. "We want something small."

There was a silence between everyone that neared towards uncomfortable.

"Then lets think small." Haley nodded to the others and smiled kindly back to Sawyer. Charlotte's mom knew what it was like to have both kinds of weddings.

"Lets start with your dress." It was customary for Brooke to make it, so she looked to Sawyer with hopeful eyes. "What do you think of strapless with a sash under the bust?"

Watching her god-mother move her hands as she envisioned her design, Sawyer nodded. "Yeah. That sounds good." It was the best thing she'd heard all day.

As the women went on to talk about the dress, Sawyer felt a little more relaxed. She opened up to other ideas and even started to question some of her original plans. That evening when she got home, she had a full stack of reading material to study and go over. She started with a copy of _InStyle: Weddings_. Sawyer had learned that the time of year would depict the best wedding colors and most locations needed to be booked up to a year in advance.

"Shit. A year." Sawyer covered her mouth, regretful of her vocabulary choice seeing as Miller and Bo were playing just a few feet away.

Would the Diligence be booked up? Would a patrol ruin the wedding date? They didn't even have a date yet.

Dismissing the potentially large hiccup in not having a decisive location, Sawyer read on about the wedding party, the do's and don'ts of catering, and more about flower arrangements. After reading the words bride and groom for the thousandth time, her eyeballs and brain couldn't take it anymore. Sawyer tossed the magazine to the side and moved over to the spot on the floor where the twins were playing. "What am I gonna do?"

Bo dropped the ball he was waving in the air and crawled over to his mom and butted his head against her chest.

Smiling, Sawyer wrapped her arm around the little boy. "What do you think, Bo? Flowers or no flowers?" The little boy didn't say or do anything to help his mother out and she just laughed. "I didn't think it would be so complicated."

Miller wanted some attention too and pressed up against Sawyer just like her brother had. With both of her babies nearby, Sawyer was wondering if she even needed a wedding. It was probably more trouble than it was worth.

But Ben wanted a wedding, didn't he? Sawyer didn't need to have him home or to ask him that question to know the answer. Of course he did, and maybe a little bit of Sawyer did too, she just wished it was easier than the books and magazines made it out to be.

After she'd eaten something, got Miller and Bo fed and asleep, Sawyer went back to looking at wedding plans. Maybe this was the kind of thing you had to do in small doses? Before she got in too deep, a tone on her computer made her smile. Ben was calling.

Clicking a few buttons, Sawyer saw his face appear in a small screen and she smiled. "Good timing."

His grin spread when he saw her. "Yeah?"

"Ugh, yes." Shifting back into the pillows, Sawyer rested the laptop on her legs. "This wedding stuff is stressing me out."

Ben's grin turned concerned. "Stressing you out? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Today I went to lunch with Charlotte, Mom, Aunt Brooke, and Aunt Haley and it was all just too much. There are too many colors to pick from, too many flowers, too many...everything. And apparently everything you choose depends on what time of year you get married. Ben, we don't even have a date."

The Coastie could hear her anguish. "Then let's pick one. When do you want to get married?"

"I don't know. The longer we draw this thing out, the more on edge I'll be, I'm sure." She laughed and sighed deeply.

It was late August now and Ben ran a few ideas through his head. "What about November?"

"November?" Sawyer repeated his idea and thought about it. "That could work."

"Yeah?" Ben's cute grin returned.

Sawyer clicked on the calendar and picked the second Saturday of the month. "November 9th."

"I'll be there." His flirtatious smile was even cute on screen. "I'll be the one down front."

The blonde felt herself blush. Ben made everything so much easier. Butterflies filled her stomach. They had a date; a real, true-blue date. "I love you."

Instead of saying it back, Ben asked a question that melted her heart. "How are Miller and Bo?"

Those winged creatures in her belly soared high when he'd asked about their children. If ever in doubt of how much Sawyer Scott loved Ben Trammell, one mention of Miller and Bo and Sawyer was reminded just how much she loved him- how much she loved what they had.

Their wedding wouldn't have to be extravagant or perfectly symmetric. The colors didn't have to match, and she didn't have to have flowers. She'd wear white and they'd say their vows, but the rest didn't matter.

**OTHOTH**

The dirt flew up behind Ben's 4-Runner as he pulled down the long drive aimed for his dad's house. Sawyer turned to look at the babies in the back and couldn't help but laugh as they wiggled to the beat of "Already Gone" by the Eagles.

Thankfully enough, the ride from North Carolina into Tennessee hadn't been too terrible. Sawyer and Ben purposefully left at night so Miller and Bo would sleep through most of the road trip, but once the family of four hit the middle of Tennessee, the twins hadn't been so pleasant. Thrown cheerios littered the car floor, one of the juice cups had been tossed to the back, and wails similar to an ambulance or firetruck came from Ben's car so loudly that Sawyer was convinced other motorist could hear. It was only when they got to Arlington, an hour or so away from the house, that the kiddos calmed down.

With six weeks left until the big day, Sawyer and Ben were taking a break from life in Tree Hill. There would be no wedding plans, no Coast Guard duties, no work at Red Bedroom, just time to take in the countryside.

September was about to turn to October and you could see the change in the leaves of early fall. Green had turned yellow, and some yellow was already burning into oranges and reds. Sawyer was taking in the view when she felt Ben's hand grab ahold of hers. It stayed there until he stopped the car alongside his dad's old pickup truck.

Ben got Miller and Sawyer picked up Bo. The old screen porch door creaked when Russ came out and he smiled at his family.

"Go get him, guys. Go get Pop." Ben set Miller down and pointed to his father.

Sawyer put Bo down and watched the two eleven month olds teeter-toter towards their grandfather. Tiny steps, with short strides, Miller and Bo were both walking and Russ was getting a front row view.

"Well look at that." Russ knelt down and held his hands out as the two little people slowly walked to him with giggles and blonde hair.

Ben looked to Sawyer and smiled. He'd seen them walk a million times since last week, but each time he watched his kids walk, Ben felt his heart race. Every replay felt like the first. Ben put his arm around Sawyer's side and walked towards the porch.

"Look at them go, Ben!" Russ was eagerly watching his grandchildren's steps and he stoop up to greet the adults. Sawyer and Ben's pace had outmatched the twins. "And look at you two..." Russ pulled Sawyer into a hug, "Getting married and such. 'Bout time." Russ had always been thought they'd end up together. He'd never expected to take so long, but he knew it would happen eventually. "I guess sticking it out was worth it, huh?"

Sawyer felt the heat on her cheeks and she nodded as she stole a glance towards Ben. Nine and a half years of dating was going to be nothing compared to the rest of their lives together.

"I'm just glad she agreed."

Cutting her eyes to him, Sawyer playfully smacked Ben on the chest. "If you had asked two years ago we'd already be married."

When Sawyer had found out he'd be sitting on an engagement ring and proposal for nearly two years, they'd had their first big fight as a fiances. It had been bad. Tears were shed, there were threats of calling it off, and slamming of doors that all amounted to one thing. A few things really: an apology, an explanation, and a trip down South. Ben hadn't meant for Sawyer to find out about his will he or won't he waiting game, but she did. So not to encourage cold feet or anymore wedding drama, Ben asked her to go to Memphis to get away. Russ was due for a visit and the Coastie knew Tennessee and Sawyer were old friends. If anything would ease her overcharged mind or remind her that everything was fine, it was Memphis, and maybe a little Marc Cohn during the drive.

Now as the were on the southern soil, Ben knew Sawyer had put the postponed proposal behind her. They were back to were they needed to be, and they followed Russ inside as he scooped up his grandkids.

The first full day in Tennessee the family of four had Russ took them on the job with him. The Henderson's farm had a few animals that needed their annual check-ups, and Russ knew Miller and Bo would enjoy seeing them. So the twins chased duckings and then they were chased by a goat, they got to pet a horse and feed a pig. They were scared of the rooster but loved the baby lambs. In was an experience for them all, and Sawyer got it all. There was a camera around her neck and she was sure to have gotten the best moments from each animal encounter.

Ben walked over to Sawyer and made a funny face in the camera. She snapped the picture and turned to look behind her. Russ was chatting with Harriet Henderson, the farms owner, with the same kind of smile Ben wore. "Maybe they'll hit it off? She's divorced right?"

"Widowed." Ben corrected Sawyer but shook his head. "He won't do it though. He likes being alone."

"You think?" Sawyer wasn't convinced. Russ was such a good guy. He deserved to have love.

"I don't know of one serious relationship he's been in since I was little." Ben felt a little sad about it as it came out of his mouth, but it was just the way things were. "He's a catch. Handsome, good job, good house, good guy. I just...I don't think he wants to go through it all again."

"But he should. Maybe I'll go..."

Ben watched her walk towards his dad and went wide eyed. "Sawyer..."

She turned around and raised her shoulders. What was the worst that could happen? Sawyer kept walking to her soon-to-be father-in-law and fed conversation between the older pair hoping a spark might catch fire. But Sawyer quickly realized the flame she'd hoped for wasn't there. Russ loved his job and his grandkids. It seemed like they were the only thing he would talk about, and Sawyer glanced to Ben knowing he was right. Russ would be continue to be the gentle, kind-hearted bachelor that aged with grace and had a smile that could make the worse day better.

Walking back to Ben, Sawyer sighed. "You're right."

"I know." Ben smiled and they started to walk towards the kids together. "When he wants to, he'll find her. He's just been picky for the last twenty years."

Leaning into his side, Sawyer made a joke of it thinking of their own relationship. "At least you weren't picky."

"But I was." Ben laughed at her statement and shook his head. "Why do you think we kept breaking up and getting back together?" It was Sawyer he'd been picky about. Nobody else came close.

He had a point and Sawyer looked to her toes. She'd never thought about things like that. She'd only dated one guy seriously in the time she and Ben were broken up, and Nick never really had a chance. Ben was the one she'd been holding out for. She'd been picky too.

The tall pasture grass tickled her skin by her ankle and she could hear her heart in her ears.

"I love you, OJ." He'd turned to her and squeezed one of her hands with his.

Standing in the middle of a field with a barn on one side of them and livestock on the other, Sawyer looked up to Ben and whispered it back to him before kissing him softly on the lips. "I love you too, Ben."

That night under Tennessee stars, Sawyer slowly rocked back and forth on the back porch of Russ's house. The aged wooded rocking chairs creaked against the old porch floors, mixing nicely with the hum of the old Conway Twitty record that was playing just inside. The southern night was warm, warmer than coastal Carolina in late September, but Sawyer wrapped her arms around her chest anyway. She wasn't cold, she was comfortable. Ever since the first time Ben brought her home, Sawyer felt an easiness in Memphis. Be it Russ' warm hospitality or the sweet scented magnolias, the countryside had her heart.

"Seat taken?" Russ pointed at the empty chair next to Sawyer and smiled.

She shook her head and watched him sit down. "How many did y'all get?"

"Oh I don't know." Russ scratched the back of his neck. "I reckon we got about twenty. But it probably ended up being about seven on account of Ben momentarily losing the top." Russ and his son had gone lighting bug catching with Miller and Bo just a little while ago. They'd trapped them in a mason jar and poked holes in the top so the bright, blinking bugs would live. With a bunch of them in one jar, it sure make for a neat nightlight.

"We held one out for them to see and Bo almost ate it." Russ's laughter was smooth and contagious.

Sawyer laughed and shook her head. "I believe it. He almost ate Trout's dog food the other day."

"When Ben was about three he got into the laundry room and drank the detergent. His Mama called poison control and I was sure we were gonna have to go to the hospital."

"Did you?"

"No. I was fine." Ben walked outside and sat down on the banister that wrapped around the porch. He seemed proud that he'd survived a cup full of Gain. Miller and Bo were fast asleep but he held the mason jar out and looked the Sawyer. "Wanna help me get more."

"Since you _lost_ the others?" Standing, Sawyer laughed and headed down the steps into the yard.

"It wasn't my fault." He hurried down the steps to follow her. The specks of yellow floated through the air and Ben raised his hand to grab one.

"Excuses, excuses, Benjamin." Playfully looking over her shoulder, Sawyer walked towards the clothesline Russ used for sheets and towels. He'd always said the electric dryer didn't compare to the sun when it came to linens.

Eyeing her through the darkness, Ben followed her through the sheets and ran after her when she started to run from him. "Where are you running off to?"

Sawyer felt herself start to laugh and she took a sharp left towards the pecan trees. She wasn't sure why she was running, but it was exciting.

It didn't take long for Ben to reach her. He wrapped his arm around her torso and swung her around. She was facing him and her heavy breath was hot on his skin.

On the porch, Russ started to get up and looked one more time at his son and Sawyer. They were really something else- a good looking couple who had more love for one another than either of them knew.

Sawyer heard the screen door on the back porch shut and she looked up to Ben. The moon was bright in the reflection of his eyes. "I have an idea."

"Yeah?" He lifted his brow waiting to hear.

"What if...what if we got married here. In Memphis."

"Here?"

"Like, right here, before we leave. On Saturday." Sawyer was grinning and pushed her bare feet into the soft grass.

"_Before_ we leave." Ben laughed. They were there for a week. They only had five days left.

"I know it's fast, but I don't want to wait. I wouldn't be that hard to put a few chairs out. I'm sure the Piggly Wiggly can bake a cake. You can rent a suit in town and Brooke can overnight my dress. I just...I want something that's us." Even though it was dark, Sawyer could visualize a countryside wedding. "So what do you think?"

Stunned at her change of plans, Ben let it sink in and then he thought it over. "I think it's crazy, but we can make it work. Pastor Bartlett might be free."

"My parents can fly down."

Ben nodded, "Charlotte and Graham too."

"The people who want to come will make it work." They were talking in revolving sentences with grins and wide eyes.

"They'll have to."

"It'll be great."

Ben kissed Sawyer and wrapped his strong arms around her body. "I grew up here." The emotions running through his mind coincided with his heart.

"I know." Maybe that was why Sawyer was so drawn to it. It made her feel closer to him. "I love you." Sawyer met Ben's lips in a sweet kiss and she'd never felt so happy.

All the planning, all the color choices, the food, the unnecessary stress had been for nothing. The wedding they'd both wanted had been right in front of them the whole time, it just took a little searching.

**OTHOTH**

**Alright, so they're getting married at Russ's. Who saw that coming? If any of you read the last chapter of little moments, you'll remember Peyton was drawing a picture when Haley came and talked to her. And that picture was a hint of what was to come :). With such a rushed wedding, will everything go as planned? What problems will they encounter and with either of them get cold feet? Tune in next time to find out.**

**Review Please!**


	27. The Birds Will Be Singing

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 27: The Birds Will Be Singing**

**Disclaimer: This my 193rd disclaimer as a fanfic writer and it's been the same since the beginning. I don't own anything related to OTH. Period.**

**Author's Note: Alright guys, were we go. This one is set up a little differently than most. Instead of three of four big, long sections, this one is broken up into many smaller sections. Let's see how this wedding between Sawyer and Ben goes down. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

It was raining; pouring really, and that was probably the first bad sign. Less than twenty four hours until Sawyer and Ben said _I do_ and it was raining so hard that Mother Nature was surly trying to advise them against a thrown together wedding. The tall trees that lined Russ's driveway and spotted their way around the house were starting to sag with the weight of the water. There were brown puddles forming in the lush green grass. The chairs that would be set up outside were sure to sink in the mud holes that were quickly forming. Small waterfalls fell from the overflowing gutters along the back porch, splashing off the treated wood like dodge balls. If things didn't dry up overnight, tomorrow would be a disaster.

Sawyer was watching the rain by the back door and took a sharp breath inward. As water continued to fall, she heard one of the twins yelp and she turned around. Miller had scrunched up her face and was looking at her brother with a scowl of pure distaste. Bo had taken the small ball she'd been playing with.

"Guys..." Ben walked down the stairs and was buttoning up his shirt, "Ya'll have to learn to share."

Sawyer watched her almost-husband pick up the twins from the spot on the floor. Every time Ben parented their children, Sawyer was compelled to watch the way he worked. He was a great father.

"Does it look like it's letting up?" Ben walked towards Sawyer and glanced outside to the watered down landscape. The steady stream of rain gave him his answer and he looked to Sawyer with a grin. "Is your dress waterproof?"

"No." She shook her head with a hesitant laugh. "Aunt Brooke is going to kill me if the bottom half of my dress gets caked in mud."

"Maybe it would add a nice touch?"

Laughing out loud, Sawyer loved his nonchalant response. "You're kidding?"

"No." He was dead serious. "Don't some dresses have those...those bands around them that are colored?"

"Sashes?"

"Yeah."

"A dress lined in _mud_ is a little different than a colored sash, but..."

Raising his shoulders, Ben grinned. "You never know. It might make it look...rustic."

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer laughed and continued to shake her head at his absurdity. It was a wild possibility that a muddy dress might look good but she secretly loved him for thinking it. In the middle of conjuring up something to say back, Sawyer noticed he'd missed a button on his shirt exposing his tanned chest. Her brow arched and she stepped closer, her fingers going to his bare skin. "And what's this? A new fashion statement?" Her grin was wide as she fixed the miscue while he held Miller and Bo.

"Maybe?" He looked up from his shirt to Sawyer with an identical grin. "Thanks." He slowly leaned towards her and kissed Sawyer, his lips against hers until they were interrupted by his father.

Holding a green umbrella that matched his flannel shirt, Russ leaned on it like a cane. "Alright love birds. Are we going to dinner or not?"

For everyone who'd made it to town already, the wedding party, family, and friends were meeting at Soul Fish for one last meal before Sawyer and Ben would be married.

An embarrassed blush crept across Sawyer's cheeks and she was surprised by it. They were thirty something years old. It shouldn't have felt like they were teenagers caught stealing kisses, but it did. Russ had that way about him; the well-respected southern gentleman gave far too many second chances than most people deserved.

Sawyer looked to Ben's dad with a nod. "We're ready."

Following the Trammell men outside, Sawyer took one more glance around the quaint country home Ben grew up in before shutting the door. Now more than ever she was sure this was exactly how it was supposed to be.

**OTHOTH**

The bar's smokey atmosphere, dim lighting, and bulldog décor were all strange but oddly necessary and perfect for the occasion. Dinner at Soul Fish had come and gone and now the younger adults planted themselves throughout one of Memphis's favorite bars, Bardog Tavern.

Sawyer spotted her younger brother and eyed the two drinks in his hand, one likely for him and the other for Bridget, but Sawyer was going to change that. Walking up to him, Sawyer took one of the glasses and arched her brow as she sipped.

"Sawyer!" Keith's mouth fell open. That wasn't for her.

The older Scott could only laugh. Across the room she spotted an empty dart board and tilted her head. "Play darts with me, little brother?" She raised the glass to her mouth again and let the Jack Daniels run down her throat. It wasn't her favorite, but it worked.

Keith followed Sawyer and plucked the darts off the board. "So what are we wagering?"

"Wagering?" Sawyer laughed. "Can't two siblings just play for fun?" Keith's older sister stepped up to the tape on the floor and tossed a dart towards the board.

Not sure if her question was laced with sarcasm or not, Keith tossed a dart and watched it fall to the floor when it decided not to stick. "So..." To mask his dart throwing embarrassment, Keith smirked, "...a countryside wedding, huh? Never pegged you for that."

"People change." Sawyer took another sip of her liquid courage and took a deep breath. "Russ's place is great, and I just..."

"Want to get it over with?"

"Well when you put it that way, it makes it sound bad." Sawyer tossed another dart and barely got it to stick to the edge.

Keith could see the nerves start to creep over his sister. "I think it's a good idea. I mean it was short notice. Mom called me at the shop and was all like, you're _sister_ is getting _married_ Saturday in _Memphis_ and you have _got_ to be there." He'd tried his best Peyton impression making Sawyer laugh.

Sawyer's eyes went wide. It was short notice alright, and she'd heard an earful from her mom when she'd told her the change of plans. Not only did they have to more or less plan a wedding in less than a week, a handful of people couldn't get away from work or even make the trip at all. Charlotte and Graham were Sawyer and Ben's best friends and they weren't sure when or if they'd be able to come. Graham's commitments to the Coast Guard and four little kids made it hard for the McFarlands to travel at the drop of a hat. Julian was on location shooting a movie and couldn't fly down. Flights in Boston were grounded due to an electrical storm, so Lily and Sarah Roe couldn't make it either. Their grandmother was supposed to be getting to Tennessee in the morning, but nothing was ever certain.

"I had to reschedule two tire alignments, a transmission replacement, and my pre-Halloween sale on brake services."

"Well I'm glad you could make it." There was tone in Sawyer's voice that derived from sincerity. She knew she'd thrown a wrench in everyone's week when she'd surprised them with a _destination_ wedding. It really did mean a lot that her younger brother would be there.

Shrugging his shoulders, Keith looked to his sister and flashed her that Scott smirk. "But how many times is my only sister going to get married?" He sipped his drink and tossed a dart that hit the bullseye perfectly centered.

"Probably as many times as you can do that." Sawyer laughed and watched Keith rear back and toss another one.

Spinning towards the center of the board, the blue-finned dart managed to find its way perfectly next to the first bullseye. The thirty-one year old swallowed hard and looked to his sister with a hesitant laugh. "That...that's a fluke."

Sawyer looked to the second bullseye and hoped Keith was right. She downed the rest of her drink in one quick gulp, trying not to read too much into it. It was a silly coincidence, wasn't it? There were just over twenty-hours left until the wedding, and Sawyer didn't need to let some small little thing get to her.

But it would.

**OTHOTH**

The sound of shoes clapping against the sidewalk of Union Avenue were all Sawyer could hear. They were almost to the hotel and Ben was in the middle of telling her a childhood story, but he'd become muted by her own thoughts.

"So anyway, I think I was twelve and my cousin Jackson was fourteen. We were running along the backside of the property when the police put the spotlight on us." Ben stopped mid sentence and could tell she wasn't listening. Reaching for her hand, Ben turned to Sawyer with a grin. "OJ, don't you wanna hear it?"

"Hear what?" Sawyer looked up to Ben and felt his calloused grip against her hand. "Huh?"

Ben slowed his pace and turned to her.

Sawyer immediately resorted to playing defense. She could see the worry painted on his face. "Sorry. Sorry. I was just thinking about tomorrow."

Holding out his hand and looking up to the clear night sky, Ben started to smile. "It dried up."

Sawyer glanced up to him and saw his blue eyes soften. She leaned into him as they walked toward the red sign of the Peabody. "My dress might not get muddy after all." A part of her thought a little mud would have been fun, but it was probably better for everyone that the rain had stopped. "Have you heard from Graham?" She turned the conversation to their friends.

"No." Ben shook his head and looked from his toes to Sawyer. "Heard from Charlotte?"

With a disappointed shake of her own head, Sawyer took a deep breath. "Now what was it you were telling me? Something about you, your cousin and the cops?"

"Oh yeah." Ben laughed and scratched his head as they waited for the crosswalk sign. "Just thought you might wanna know my police record before you marry me."

"You got arrested?" Sawyer's eyes went wide. Ben was the good guy. She didn't peg him for a troublemaker, much less the kind of guy with a record.

"We only got a warning for trespassing. Mr. Wallace didn't appreciate us fishing from his catfish ponds, so he sent the police to scare us. And it did. I mean we were kids, and all of the sudden the cops show up with lights." He laughed thinking about it. "Jackson and I bolted for the house."

"Resisting an officer." Sawyer bit her lip. "That could be a very _serious_ charge, Mr. Trammell." Her eyebrow arched with a smirk as whiskey rolled off her breath.

"We got a slap on the wrist and a ride home in the police car. I got to sit up front and play with the buttons. The Deputy had been a friend of my dad's."

Laughing out loud, Sawyer couldn't believe Ben's luck. "It doesn't happen like that in Tree Hill."

"Oh you don't have to tell me. I know. You're rap sheet is three pages long." He showed off his cute grin, poking fun at her. "But it's okay. I'll marry you anyway."

"It's _half_ a page." Sawyer narrowed her eyes and corrected him. "And it's almost all dumb stuff from high school; breaking curfew, noise complaints..."

"And don't forget the vehicular theft." Ben raised his eyebrows.

"That was a misunderstanding."

Stepping out into the street, Ben started to walk backwards. "Right."

"It was!" Sawyer started to chase after him, linking her arm with his as they stepped onto the curb again.

"If that's your story." Ben flashed her that grin and walked her through the door of the downtown hotel. Ben's flirting had her heart racing. He could make a conversation sexy with one look, one grin, one cheeky remark; it was unfair really.

Once inside the elevators, they stood on opposite ends facing each other, silent but having a full blown conversation. Ben's stare was on her eyes, blue like a stormy Monday, and that secret smile she was always trying to keep from him. As they rode upwards, Sawyer only occasionally glanced at Ben, knowing full well what he was trying to do.

But he couldn't stay with her. It was bad luck.

Ben waited for Sawyer to lead the way to her room and watched her hips swing to a silent melody down the hall. She stopped in front of her room and leaned against the wall. "Thanks for walking me. It wasn't really necessary but..."

"It was absolutely necessary." Ben grinned. "What if you had gotten lost?"

"It was less than a block away from the bar," she countered.

Ben stepped closer to her and pressed his nose against her jaw before peppering a kiss on her neck. "You're not gonna let me in, are you?"

Making a conscious effort to breathe before answering, Sawyer closed her eyes. "It's bad luck."

"You don't believe in all that stuff." Ben moved up her neck and kissed her square on the mouth.

Kissing him back, Sawyer pulled away and looked right at him. "I don't want to mess this up."

"We're not." He put his forearm against the doorframe and leaned into her. "I'm marrying you tomorrow." Ben glanced down to the ring he'd given her. "Are you marrying me?" There was a long silent pause, an invisible barrier between them. Her inability to answer quickly made Ben look at Sawyer with a hint of doubt.

Uncomfortable by the question, Sawyer folded her arms around her chest. "Ben..."

Feeling his jaw clinch and his heart fall, Ben narrowed his eyes. He could see it in her eyes- the hesitation, the reluctance. It was there and he'd been seeing past it all day, probably all week. Her sudden desire to have a quickie wedding had been a sign from the beginning, hadn't it? Ben didn't want to talk about what he already knew. So instead he turned and walked away.

Unable to find the words when she needed them, she reached for his shirt and caught his sleeve, stoping him in his tracks. "Ben. Wait." Sawyer met his eyes with hers. "I'm not backing out of this, okay?"

The Coastie let her words sink in and turned to face her. "Why does it feel like you already have?" He brushed by her and walked away.

Sawyer felt the pain in her heart ache as he turned away from her, his bar soap smell lingering in the air. She sunk back into the doorframe when Ben disappeared into the elevator and her eyes began to well.

Why was everything becoming so difficult?

**OTHOTH**

The door to Sawyer's hotel room at the Peabody opened and the guest quietly walked towards the bed. A heap of covers hid the blonde underneath from view, but the faint smell of whiskey snores made the peaceful intruder smile. There was definitely a body buried under there, and it was most certainly Sawyer Scott's. Last night's outfit was in a crinkled mess by the foot of the bed. Two miniatures were empty by discarded shoes she'd obviously tossed aside before succumbing to the midnight hour. Her cellphone was teetering on the edge of the bedside table, and between snores, there was a faint buzz of music coming from the pillows. Clearly someone had slept with their iPod on hand.

There was a small shift in weight on the bed, and Sawyer cracked open one eye. Hazy from last night, she felt the person slide closer to her. As the bride-to-be's vision cleared, she saw her brown-haired, brown-eyed visitor. Smiling, Sawyer took a deep breath. "You're here."

"You're getting married!" Charlotte laughed and felt her eyes water at the thought. "Of course I'm here." There was no way Charlotte was going to miss Sawyer's big day. The sudden change in venue and trying to find a sitter for the kids had delayed getting to Tennessee, but she was there.

For a moment, Sawyer had thought her wedding would be best friend-less, that Charlotte couldn't get to Memphis in time, but she had been wrong. Charlotte had made it, and her warm body in Sawyer's hotel bed made the older Scott feel like they were teenagers again. Then suddenly the blonde felt herself get emotional. Tears started to roll down her cheeks in zig-zags.

"What's wrong?" Charlotte furrowed her brow with worry.

Shrugging her shoulders, Sawyer slapped her arms down around her side and shook her head with closed eyes. "It's just a lot, you know? This wedding thing." She tried to laugh it off, but it the tears weren't happy ones. Eight hours from now Sawyer was supposed to get married, and that scared her to death.

Sensing Sawyer's nerves, Charlotte reached out and held her cousin's hand. "It's normal to be nervous."

"But it's not just nerves, Char. I...I think I'm getting cold feet." Wiping her eyes, the blonde took a deep breath, reaching for tangled earbuds she'd fallen asleep with. "I mean what was I thinking...a wedding down here? And to plan it under a week? I was so dumb." Sighing, Sawyer pushed her hair away from her face. "And last night Ben and I had a fight. Or...I don't know if it was a fight but he thinks I'm getting cold feet." Crying louder, Sawyer squeezed her eyes closed. "Worse really- I don't know if he wants to get married anymore."

"What?" Charlotte's mouth fell open. Sawyer's response didn't sit well with her.

"Ugh..." Sawyer swiped her cheeks and took a deep breath. "Last night he accused me of not wanting to go through with it."

"But don't you? Haven't you waited _this_ long...to do just that?"

Nodding, Sawyer closed her eyes and sunk back into the pillows. "But what if I'm not wife material? What if I don't love Ben like he needs me to? What...what happens ten years from now? Is it going to be the same? What...what if we end up getting _divorced_." Sawyer's cries echoed with a sound of regret and what could be.

"Sawyer..." Charlotte knew her best friend had a bad habit of reading too much into things. "You have to stop doing this. You can't let anything get in the way of what you and Ben have." Charlotte's brown eyes met Sawyer's. "You have to do what you want, not what you _think_ is supposed to happen or what anyone else wants. What do you want?" Smiling, Charlotte held Sawyer's hand with both of hers. "You and Ben are meant to be." The storytelling softness of her voice melted into Sawyer's mind and Charlotte nodded. "I mean, God, Sawyer, selfishly I always thought Graham and I had been destined to meet at the Diligence Dash. You know...that our story began that day." Shyly shaking her head, Charlotte looked hard into her cousin's eyes. "But it was you and Ben, Saw. You two have one of those love stories people _want_ to have, and today's _your_ day. You're getting married." Charlotte paused for a moment to. "But you gotta make it happen, Sawyer."

"I know." Raising her hand to wipe her cheek, Sawyer turned to Charlotte with a furrowed brow. "This is the right thing, right?"

"I can't tell you what's right or wrong, Sawyer, but I know you love Ben, and you love those babies, and I know that if you were to ever get married...you'd marry Ben"

Sawyer looked to the ceiling and swallowed. "My seventeen-year-old self would slap me for getting married."

The brunette laughed. "You're not seventeen anymore."

Charlotte was right. Sawyer wasn't even close to seventeen. She was thirty-three and it didn't matter what she'd wanted in the past, it was about what she wanted right now. Shifting in the bed, the music-lover faced her best friend. "I'm marrying him."

With a nod of approval, Sawyer's best friend grinned. "So come on..." Charlotte sat up and pulled the covers off of Sawyer. "Get up. Show me Memphis. We have a couple hours to spare. Take a shower and wash that doubt off your mind and brush the whiskey off your teeth." Charlotte laughed and waved her hand by her nose. "It literally smells like you might have had an affair with Jack Daniels." The brunette disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Slow to get up, Sawyer raised her hand to her head. "I think I did." Her world seemed to spin backwards, and she slowly made her way to the shower.

Charlotte leaned against the bathroom door with a towel in hand and stopped Sawyer shy of the entrance. She reached into her pocket and held out something small. "When you're done I get the honors."

Looking to the little temporary tattoo Charlotte held, Sawyer rolled her eyes. "Is that a frog?"

"It's all they had." Charlotte laughed and swatted at the blonde when she walked by. "It's tradition, you know."

"I know." Sawyer turned around and laughed. It was a tradition she'd started when she'd given a old tattoo to Charlotte the day she married Graham. It was only fitting for Charlotte to get one for Sawyer. But what was more important, was that the wedding was happening at all.

**OTHOTH**

The mid morning sun was poking through the kitchen window and Russ stirred a skillet of scrambled eggs. He'd tossed a hand towel over his shoulder and watched a group of men outside begin to set up rows of chairs. The caterers would be there soon too, but he was determined to cook breakfast before the madness really began. It would only be seven short hours until the farmhouse wedding for Sawyer and Ben was underway.

Miller and Bo were chomping down on buttered toast while their grandfather worked on the rest of breakfast. They were the first to spot their dad coming down the stairs.

The stairs creaked when Ben walked down and he smiled at his children as he took a seat, stealing a bite of Bo's toast in the process.

Russ still had his back to Ben and checked the hash-browns in the oven. "Long night, huh?" He'd heard Ben come home around one.

"You could say that."

Sensing a problem in his boy's voice, Russ turned to Ben and rubbed his hands together. "Want to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure we're going to have an actual wedding today." He glanced out the window and watched the same men his father had seen setting up chairs. It sickened him to think they might be wasting their time. Feeling the need to move so he didn't have to see it, Ben walked to the fridge, sweetly putting his hands on the twins' heads as he passed by. "I doubt she shows up."

"Sawyer?" Russ shook his head. "You're playing a mean trick on yourself if you think that, son."

"But you didn't see her last night." Drinking out of the carton, it was hard for Ben to swallow the orange juice.

"I don't need to, Ben." Checking the eggs and turning off the eye, Russ looked to his son with a grin. "You're nervous, she's nervous...it'll pass. It's just one of those things." The veterinarian moved to the fridge and took off a piece of paper that had been secured by a Graceland magnet. He handed the copy of the document to Ben with a smile. "Graham called and he's meeting you downtown in thirty minutes to pick up your suits."

Ben studied the piece of paper and knew his dad was right. He'd been too hard on Sawyer last night, and he felt bad about it. He wanted to see her, to make things right, but didn't that go against the rules? Ben wasn't supposed to see her until the ceremony.

"Eat a little something first." Russ set down a plate full of food, stopping Ben from running off just yet.

These things had a way of working out, but they worked out better if it was on a full stomach.

**OTHOTH**

Over at the Peabody, Sawyer could feel the butterflies in her own stomach churn in circles as she eyed the dress hanging against the bathroom door. Brooke had brought it to the hotel twenty minutes ago ready for the bride to slip it on. It was beautiful- everything Sawyer had wanted, but something was keeping her from putting it on.

"Need any help in there?" Brooke's voice boomed from outside the door. To say she was ready to see her masterpiece on her god-daughter was a vast understatement.

Turning to look in the mirror, Sawyer's hair had been done, her make-up- she was perfectly ready to put the dress on, but something was stopping her. Peeking her head out the door, Sawyer looked to her mom who was fiddling with something in her hands. "Mom..."

Peyton turned her head and raised her brows.

"Will you come here?"

Standing, Peyton followed Sawyer's voice into the bathroom and shut the door. After closing it, the older blonde turned to see her oldest sitting on the toilet in her her bra and underwear. She couldn't help but laugh. "That's a good look."

Rolling her eyes, Sawyer stood. "Will you help me get in my dress?"

"Brooke asked you a million times." Peyton grabbed the hanger and unzipped the back.

"I know." Sawyer stepped in and slid one of her arms through a strap. "I wanted you." Sawyer's voice had softened to a near whisper.

Peyton felt herself smile and continued to help Sawyer in the dress, catching sight of a little frog that was imprinted on her daughter's lower back. The zipper stuck for a moment going up, but after a few frightful seconds, it slid into place without problem.

"Mom?" Sawyer was facing the shower and could see her mom's reflection in the glass. "Is Dad upset with me?"

"Your father?" Peyton turned Sawyer around and shook her head. "No. Why would he be?"

Looking down like she'd done something wrong, Sawyer glance back to her mom's hazel eyes. "Because I didn't ask him to give me away."

"Oh Sawyer..." Laughing, Peyton arched her brow. "The moment you learned to ride a bike all by yourself we had an idea you would be a pretty independent kid." Realizing Sawyer was standing in her wedding dress in front of her, Peyton was taken aback for a moment. She moved one of her hands to her chin and smiled. "You look beautiful." An emotional echo seemed to follow Peyton's words and a misty gloss painted over her eyes.

Looking down to see for herself, Sawyer took a sharp breath in. It was real now.

Peyton wrapped Sawyer in a hug and was delicate not to crush the dress.

"Hello? What is going on in there? Did something rip? I have an emergency sewing kit if we need it." Brooke's raspy voice sounded desperate, and she approached the door with a balled up fist only to see it open. A vision in white with blonde hair walked through the door and Brooke stepped back until she was flush against the wall. Fanning her face, Brooke laughed and moved her wrist under her nose. "I'm gonna cry."

"Don't cry." Sawyer laughed and looked at Brooke. "Then Mom will cry and we'll all be crying."

Charlotte had been on the phone with Haley who was holding down the fort at Russ's. "I gotta go, Mom. We'll be there soon." She hung up the phone and looked to her best friend. "Sawyer...you look...stunning."

Brooke had done a fantastic job, and Sawyer was glowing. It took a few more minutes for the women to come down off their wedding dress high, but a car was waiting for them downstairs, and they were due just west of the city in less than an hour's time.

**OTHOTH**

As the sun started its slow fall behind the horizon, Ben stood in the kitchen watching guests fill the chairs outside. There couldn't have been more than thirty people waiting for everything to begin, but even with a small crowd, Ben felt himself start to sweat. Thinking a glass of cool ice water might ease the nerves, Ben opened up the freezer. But taking up the majority of the space was Sawyer's bouquet. An arrangement of white and orange flowers met him with with their bright colors and he saw his boutonniere underneath the clear wrapping.

Graham came down from upstairs and straightened his tie. "There almost here." He'd just gotten off the phone with his wife and walked over to his best friend. "And I'm under _strict_ orders to take those flowers out." Ben watched his best friend pull Sawyer's flowers out and grab his boutonniere. "And as your best man..." Graham popped the top off the plastic container and held up the small orange flower that matched Ben's tie.

"Don't stick me."

Grinning, the green-eyed Coastie laughed. "That's all I get out of you in this moment? _Don't stick me_." Graham made sure the flower was secure against Ben's steel gray suit. "It's okay to be nervous, you know."

Rolling his eyes with a laugh, Ben wished he had ten dollars for every time he'd heard that. "I know."

Stepping back to study Ben's attire, Graham patted Ben on the back. "You ready?"

Honestly, Ben felt like he was going to throw up, but he battled through his nerves with that goofy grin. "I better be, huh?"

The two thirty-somethings walked out the back door and toward the wedding's biggest attraction: Miller and Bo. Showing off their skills, the near one-year olds were walking in between Lucas and Russ's legs like trains in a tunnel while a crowd formed around them.

Smiling at the twins, Graham grinned to Ben while they walked. "It only gets better."

Nodding, Ben believed Graham. Fatherhood was one of life's greatest gifts. Marriage was another.

A car was rolling down the driveway with dusty tail, headed for Russ's like the old Pony Express. Realizing Sawyer was in that car, Ben nudged Graham and knew they needed to get ready to take their places.

The four women inside the car were giddy with excitement, and Sawyer felt those butterflies return as they hit various potholes in the driveway. Each bump, each divot, Sawyer felt her stomach rise and fall. Once the car stopped, Sawyer was the last to get out, but there was a hand in the doorway to lead her to her feet.

Squinting with a smile, Lucas felt his heart break when he saw his daughter standing next to him. Nathan had been right. It was something else to see your grown daughter in a wedding dress. Sawyer was beautiful. She'd always been beautiful, but she looked more like Peyton than she'd ever had.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi back." Twisting his mouth into a sweet smile, Lucas escorted Sawyer in the house.

Haley gave Sawyer her flowers, told her the sign to look for that signaled her entrance, and motioned to Lucas they needed to go sit down. But before her father could leave her side, Sawyer kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "I love you, Dad."

Like his worst day with HCM, Lucas felt his heart burn with Sawyer's words. It was a rare feat to get that from her and he'd hold on to it for as long as he could. "I love you too, Sawyer."

Lucas headed for the back door but Sawyer called out to him one more time. "You're gonna write about this, too, aren't you?"

Letting out a small laugh, Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "Not if you don't want me to."

A look was exchanged between father and daughter that said it all. Lucas didn't need to walk her down the aisle or throw some lavish wedding. Sawyer was getting everything she wanted.

Alone in the farmhouse, Sawyer would have to fiddle around until she got the okay to make her grand appearance.

Outside, Charlotte leaned over the aisle Sawyer would be walking down and hesitantly smiled at the preacher in between she and her husband. Charlotte eyed Graham with a worried look. "Honey...where's Ben?" Graham wasn't a nervous guy but Charlotte could see the beads of sweat pool at his hairline. "Graham...?"

"I don't know. He was just here a minute ago." His whisper was louder than it needed to be and some of the guest started to look around. He'd been by Ben's side when Sawyer rolled up, but the groom had darted off before Graham could stop him- or even see him for that matter. The green-eyed Coastie assumed Ben had to use the restroom. And either Ben had a bad stomach ache or he'd cracked under the pressure.

Charlotte moved back into place and took a deep breath. This was happening.

"Come on...come on..." Sawyer fanned her armpits and blew a few strands of hair away from her face. "What's taking so long."

"They're looking for me." Ben had walked through the front door and was standing living room. He was looking at in her dress and felt his breath leave his chest. She was just as beautiful as the day they'd met.

Turning at the sound of his voice, Sawyer bugged her eyes. "Ben...you're not supposed to see me."

Covering his eyes with his hands, Ben started to walk towards his fiancee, bumping into a table along the way. "I was a jerk last night."

"You don't have to apologize." Sawyer dropped her flowers by her side and furrowed her brow.

"But I do."

Feeling a fire in her belly, she sighed. Reaching up, Sawyer moved his hand away from his eyes. Whatever he had to say, she wanted to see.

He felt her warm hands move his away from his face. "I didn't want to end things like that." Realizing the word end made her shirk back a bit, Ben quickly recovered. "Not _end_, end. That came out bad. I just didn't want the last time we saw each other before we got _married_ to be like that. I was nervous and I knew you were nervous, and the things I said..." He pulled out the piece of paper Russ had given him that morning and started to grin. "I don't know why we were both so nervous. According to the state of Tennessee our marriage license is already in the mail. It'll probably be home when we get..."

Without thought or hesitation, Sawyer kissed him. Her lips delicately lingered on his for a moment or two until he kissed her right back. A little unconventional and with terrible timing, the kiss Sawyer had thought about for quite sometime hadn't been in front of crowd of people with applause. It was by the back door of Russ's house, almost exactly like they'd been yesterday. Routine and simple, it was perfect.

But he'd been right. What were they nervous about? A ceremony? They'd gotten the real thing over with. Their signatures and the county clerk's office stamp of approval were really all they needed. The rest was all for show.

"Come on." She kicked her head toward the door and walked out on the porch.

Ben stepped next to her and held his arm out. Her arm hooked through his and they saw their guest rise to their feet as they started to walk down the porch steps. Sawyer bit her lip to keep from laughing at Charlotte's shocked look, but even if it wasn't how they'd planned it, Sawyer and Ben's wedding was still very much on.

With her bare feet hidden by her dress, Ben by her side, Miller and Bo sitting with their grandparents, Sawyer had the wedding she'd always dreamed of.

**OTHOTH**

**There we go. Sawyer and Ben got married! I know we didn't actually see all of it, but I promise...no hiccups, no more drama. They're married! For those of you who read Little Moments, you may remember in ch. 100 Peyton is drawing a picture of an outdoor wedding... This was it. ;). I always planted seeds and hints for my multiple story readers to try and figure out spoilers so to speak. Anyways, I hope you liked it. There are only a few more chapters left, but I think you'll like what I've got in store for the wrap up of this story I love so much!**

**My reviewers: Thank you so much for the feedback! I truly am grateful for you inspiration and encouragement!**

**Chickensoh: You're not the only one who thought a disaster was in the cards for Sawyer and Ben's wedding. I figured I'd let them off a little easy this time. They've had plenty of drama and there's more to come! Thank you for reviewing!**


	28. Two Little Hitlers

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 28: Two Little Hitlers**

**Disclaimer: I. Still. Don't. Own. Anything. Related. To. One. Tree. Hill. **

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm jumping quite a lot since the wedding chapter- three years or so, actually. The kids are four-and-a-half. The first section starts with Sawyer away on business, but we'll still get some Trammell family interaction that I think you guys will like. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

Chicago wasn't called the "Windy City" without reason. Even in late March, the lake effect wind stung Sawyer's cheeks and all but pushed her down the sidewalk. The music lover tightened her arms around her coat wondering where the hell spring had gone. Back at home, the Azalea festival was in full bloom, but in Chi-Town, Old Man Winter had clearly extended his stay. Instead of low to mid-seventies, the thermometer read below to fifty degrees.

It wasn't shorts season, that was for sure.

The weather wasn't only reeking havoc on Sawyer, but the airports too. The harsh wind had even delayed her late morning departure to mid afternoon. So for now, Sawyer was killing time and trying to stay warm.

After crossing a busy street with a sea of business professionals, Sawyer slipped inside the doors of a Borders Bookstore. Inside, her extremities immediately began to defrost.

The bookstore smelled oddly familiar as she waited in line for her hot cup of coffee. It reminded her of home. Not Tree Hill in the sense of of home, but home as in her parents house. Books always made her think that. As a kid, if her father wasn't writing, he was reading. Even today she'd walk into her father's study at home and could smell the dusty covers of old masterpieces or the new glue holding together the next great book, and there was a certain comfort in that. The inside of Borders was just the same. Not quite, perhaps, but similar. The only things the big name store was missing were the creaky hardwoods, questionable plumbing, yellow exterior, and better taste in music that her childhood home in Tree Hill had become synonymous with. The contemporary rock Borders was playing didn't have Peyton Scott's touch.

Music was the whole reason she'd been in Chicago in the first place. A new venue had opened up and was quickly becoming the city's best hangout for local singer-songwriters. So it seemed only natural that Sawyer would come scope it out. It was a good thing, too. Three days in and she'd signed the next Red-Bedroom recording artists. Sawyer hadn't intended on signing anyone right away but when she heard Lila Bishop, the voice-child of Grace Potter and Janis Joplin, signing her had been a no-brainer. Sawyer's trip to Chicago was a success.

If only her departing flight had the same fate.

Coffee in hand and roaming down the aisles, Sawyer moved through the travel section, stopping ever so often to take in the picturesque images of America and nations not so familiar. Her eyes went to the back of the store where a line was already starting to form for a book signing of some sort. Middle-aged women looked like love-sick teenagers, and the author hadn't even come out yet. Seeing some of the women fan themselves as their anticipation puddled on their foreheads, Sawyer couldn't help but laugh.

Curious, the thirty-something made her way to a nearby table. There was a tower of fresh copies of the book for the signing and a poster with the writer on it. Sawyer studied the cover with a quiet squint and a small smile. A glass of orange juice with a striped white and red straw stood out against a plain white background.

"You know... I heard it took him ten years to finish this one." A short woman strolled up behind Sawyer, grabbing the nearest copy of the book. The woman turned to her friend with a sense of authority. "I read on the internet it's his favorite."

"Really?" The other woman's eyes widened.

Smiling with a certain amount of conviction, the fifty-something gray-blonde nodded. "And you know its true if it's on the internet."

Sawyer all but laughed-out-loud. These two women were hilarious, and the thirty-seven year old found herself in line behind them.

The woman with darker hair opened up her copy. "Isn't it about his wife?"

"His daughter," the other corrected. She opened up to the dedication. "See."

"Well how do you know that's her name?" The less informed fan furrowed her brow.

"It's on the internet, Martha."

"It's true." Sawyer couldn't hep but add to the conversation.

Smiling and appreciating the backup, Mrs. Know-It-All beamed. "Isn't it just fabulous, dear?" She turned to Sawyer with a grin, "I read it when it first came out and I'm on my third copy."

Realizing this woman presumed she was just another fan, Sawyer hesitated for a moment. Did she explain who she was or play along?

Her flight was delayed for a good six hours. Playing along didn't sound so bad.

"Yeah...it's pretty good." Grinning, Sawyer kinked her eyebrow upwards. "I'm not sure why it took the characters so long to get together but..." Hiding her blush, she took a deep breath.

"That's the best part, though. We know they're meant to be so we cling to this idea of a happily ever after." Martha held the book close to her chest.

The heat on her cheeks started to rise and Sawyer knew she wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

"I'll tell you one thing." The older blonde narrowed her eyes. "I didn't like her for the longest time. Cheaters should rot in hell."

"Becky!" Martha's eyes went wide, scolding her friend for being so blunt. "Everyone makes mistakes."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm glad Sawyer and Ben ended up together. I just hope she learned her lesson is all."

That blush on Sawyer's cheeks had turned, and she got defensive. "I'm sure she did." The memories from her past came back all at once. Not one second passed that she didn't regret what she did to Ben, and hearing it come from a strangers mouth stung Sawyer to her core. To think that other people who didn't even know her saw her as a villain made Sawyer feel vulnerable. To experience love sometimes meant you had to go through heartbreak, and sometimes you broke other peoples heart in the process.

"Don't you wonder...what happened to them? He ended the book when they got back together. You know, did they get married, have kids, split up...?"

Sawyer turned to Martha and habitually fiddled with her wedding ring. "My money is on them getting married." Tilting her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes. "Two kids. Twins, maybe?"

"Really? I never saw her as one for marriage."

"Me either." For once, Becky seemed to agree with her friend. "But I bet you a pregnancy or two happened."

If only the two fans would look at the younger woman in front of them, they'd have their answer. If they really were paying attention, they could see the way her tangled hair and blue eyes matched the author's description, the way she squinted before responding, the fact that she was the perfect age... The main character was just an arms length away.

An excited murmur began to buzz throughout the bookstore and fans reached for their cameras and counted their sharpies. Becky saw him first and froze in place while Martha had to remind herself to keep breathing. He was just a man. He was just an author.

But he was Lucas Scott.

Walking down the line towards the table, Lucas smiled and waved at his adoring fans until he spotted one that stopped him in his tracks. "Wha...What are you doing here?" He made his way towards his daughter with a sweet grin. They'd had dinner last night, but she was supposed to be on her way home by now.

Smiling, Sawyer shrugged her shoulders. "My flight got delayed."

Moving close to the rope that mapped out the fan line, Lucas waved her over. "You don't have to stand in line."

Sawyer ducked under the divider, joining her father in the exclusive aisle leaving Becky and Martha with their mouths wide open.

Joking, Sawyer arched her brow as she walked away from the crowded line of people. "I feel like I need a special badge or something."

Shaking his head, Lucas laughed. "I'm not that famous."

Looking back to the crowds of eager fans, Sawyer smirked. "Give yourself a little credit, Dad."

Always humble, Lucas just smiled and shoved is hands in his pockets. "If you stick around for a while, they'll be asking for your autograph, not mine."

Sawyer followed her dad behind a table and sat down while he spoke for a few minutes about the story of her life- of her love. He didn't introduce her at first, only mentioning he had a special guest. No introductions were necessary, most fans instantly knew who the pretty blonde was.

Lucas had been right about the autographs; some even wanted pictures with Sawyer. Some had questions, and some seemed star-struck. It was a new feeling for Sawyer, but she could see that her presence alone was impacting others. She always knew her dad's work touched his readers, but she'd never been on his side of things. It was heartwarming, really.

Two women made their way to the table and the music lover started to smile. "Dad, this is Martha and Becky. They're big fans."

"Th...This is my third copy, Mr. Scott. I just adore this book." Becky slid the book in front of Lucas with a nervous face. She was suddenly embarrassed by the way she had talked about Sawyer right in front of her.

After signing his name, Lucas handed the book back to the woman, "I'm glad to hear that. But I can't take all the credit. It's her story. I just wrote it."

Becky smiled at Sawyer but was too embarrassed to ask for an autograph so her friend stepped up. Martha hadn't said a word and locked eyes with the younger woman next to Lucas. A quiet whisper slipped from her lips and her eyes warmed as she smiled. "Sawyer."

Holding out her hand, Sawyer grinned. "Sawyer Scott...Trammell, nice to meet you."

Grinning from ear to ear, Martha felt her heart pound. Did Sawyer just say Trammell? She did, didn't she. Martha'd had a feeling her two favorite characters had gotten married, and she held the book out toward the younger woman. "Would you mind?"

Shaking her head, Sawyer gladly took the book and flipped to the dedication page. Her scribble was loopy and a mixture of cursive and print, but Martha would be able to read it. Lucas took the book next and signed it for her next. He could see through the white page that Sawyer had written more than her name.

As the women walked away, Lucas couldn't help but ask. "Looked like you wrote your own little book in there."

Looking to Martha and making eye contact, Sawyer smiled with a nod. She turned back to her dad. "I just told her that Ben and I ended up getting married and that we have two kids... And then I thanked her for liking the story." She clicked the pen top in her hand and shrugged. "Something like that."

"That was nice."

Sawyer grinned and kinked her brow. "I can be nice sometimes."

The father-daughter duo shared a laugh and continued to make small talk with the other fans. After what seemed like the millionth fan came through, Sawyer signed her name but was interrupted mid Trammell when she felt her phone buzz against her jeans. She finished her signature and looked looked at her phone to see a message in all caps from her husband.

_CALL ME_

There was no explanation, not even punctuation, just two words. Sawyer got up without explanation, punched speed dial, and held the phone up to her ear waiting to hear his voice. Worst-case scenarios and wondering which of their two small children needed stitches ran over her mind until the line picked up. Ben didn't even say hello, Sawyer just sputtered out questions.

"What's wrong? Who's hurt? Did Miller lock herself in the bathroom again?"

"Whoa, slow down O.J." Ben laughed and rubbed his hand over his forehead. "Nobody's hurt. Well neither of our kids are."

Sawyer let his words settle and she furrowed her brow. "What do you mean neither of _our_ kids." Obviously there was more to the story he hadn't told her yet.

Ben let out a sigh. "Well I just had to go pick Miller and Bo up from pre-school because they tag-teamed little Connor Whatshisface and bit him...a couple different times."

"Are you kidding?" Sawyer looked at her watch and knew they hadn't been in pre-school an hour yet.

"Nope. And the lady that runs the place wants to have a parent meeting tomorrow morning."

Sawyer took a deep breath. It would be their luck that _their_ kids were the ones who started a biting trend at school. "So we're gonna get in trouble huh?"

"Probably." Ben looked at the rearview mirror and at the two smiling four-and-a-half year olds in the backseat. How could such cute little faces cause so much harm? "But they're just kids. She can't get too mad."

"I have a feeling we'll be walking into a parenting lecture tomorrow."

Turning into the driveway, Ben turned off the car. "Well if she doesn't like how we do things now, I'm sure she won't like that I'm giving them chocolate cake for their mid-morning snacks."

"Ben...you better not."

"Oh, I am." He laughed with that adorable smile of his. "You want them awake when we see you at the airport, don't you."

"Yeah, but I don't want them on a sugar high. The Goldfish is in the..."

"Cabinet above the microwave, I know, Sawyer. I even know that Bo likes the green bowl and Miller likes the striped one. I'm on it, Sawyer. I was just kidding about the cake."

It was moments like these where Sawyer felt her heart flutter. That goofy Coastie was impossibly adorable. Collecting herself and her thoughts, Sawyer, leaned against the wall. "I should be home around eight. If it's too much trouble to deal with the kids and trying to pick me up, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind."

"Na...we'll be there."

Feeling her hear swell again, Sawyer smiled. "Alright. I'll see you later. Sorry for having to get the kids and..."

"I love you too."

Sawyer bit her lip. "Bye."

Ben hung up the phone and left Sawyer with her thoughts. She looked out to the line of fans who were still determined to meet _the_ Lucas Scott, and then she looked down to her wedding ring. Life was perfect. If all she had to worry about was her kiddos who liked to bite, then that was fine- a piece of cake as Ben might say.

But Sawyer should know better. Life, especially her life, was never that easy.

**OTHOTH**

The Tree Hill airport wasn't a big one. The crowds were never large and the luggage carousel was pretty good about operating quickly. Pulling her suitcase off the moving belt, Sawyer walked to a bench by the main entrance and looked outside as headlights came and went. But none of them were her ride. She'd called Ben once the plane landed, and normally he'd be waiting for her, but not this time. He was no where in sight. Five minutes passed and then ten, and Sawyer seriously considered calling her mom.

But then her phone range.

Ben's whispered voice told Sawyer to come outside so she rolled her suitcase through the automatic doors and looked for his 4-Runner.

Parked next to a fire hydrant, Ben saw her searching for his car and he flashed his lights at Sawyer. Her shadow started for the car and Ben felt himself grin. Her hair was messy from the plane ride and she looked tired, but her slow strut to the car with that Sawyer Scott sway was something else. Nobody in the world was like her.

Stopping by the passenger window, Sawyer caught Ben's eye. He motioned at the glass like he was confused about what to do. Did she want to get in the car? Was she peddling for money? His grin spread and he poured on the charm without words. Sawyer and Ben didn't need to speak to each other to flirt. It was natural. From day one their chemistry had been off the charts and thirteen years later it was still there.

Lightly tapping her knuckles on the window, Sawyer leaned close and arched her brow. Ben rolled down the window and tilted his head toward the back. Two sleeping children were slumped over in their booster seats.

Ben whispered and looked from the twins to Sawyer. "They didn't last two minutes in the car." He opened up his door and walked around to get Sawyer's suitcase.

She waited for him to get close and loved the fact that she could smell his bar soap. There was something about the familiarity in his smell that got her every time.

He stepped in front of her and put his hands around her hips, looking hard into her blue eyes. "I'm glad your home."

"Me too." Tired, Sawyer sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. =There it was again- that bar soap. Alpine Fresh. Smiling, Sawyer stood up straight and looked at him hard in the eyes. Wasn't he going to kiss her?

Sensing what she wanted, Ben was going to play hard to get. He deliberately rubbed his cheek against hers and left Sawyer with a kiss below her ear. "Let's get you home."

Pleasantly annoyed, Sawyer got into the car and stared at her sleeping babies. Miller was directly behind her and the little girl's messy blonde curls covered her face. Bo was behind Ben's seat and Sawyer could see a drool spot on his shoulder. Then she noticed his lone sock. Sawyer would have to ask Ben about that when they got back. But no matter their clothes or the fact that they were asleep, Sawyer couldn't help but study their children. Ben had gotten back in the car and she looked to him, "I was only gone four days. How did they get so big?"

The Coastie's goofy grin returned and Ben started to drive off. "It's all that chocolate cake I've been feeding them."

Once they got home, Sawyer got Miller out and Ben got Bo. The two parents took their children inside and to their room. Sawyer knew things like this were quickly fading. The twins were getting big and it wouldn't be long before she wouldn't be able to pick them up. Miller's weight had settled on Sawyer's shoulder and it had started to hurt before she even got into the house. But it was one of those good hurts, the kind you can put up with and want more of.

Getting Miller in the bed was the hardest part and Sawyer tried not to wake the little girl, but grace under pressure and trying to quietly move a forty pound four-and-a-half year old was not Sawyer's forte. Miller's blue eyes popped open. The confusion and annoyance for whoever woke her up changed when she saw who it was through the darkness.

"Mama?"

Sawyer leaned down and kissed Miller's cheek. "Hi, Mills, I missed you."

"Missed you too."

Like a grenade to her heart, Miller's words made Sawyer's smile. "Go back to bed. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Sawyer pulled the covers over her daughter's little body and watched the girl's eyes close again.

Getting up, Sawyer walked over to Bo's bed and sat down on the edge. She knew her sleeping boy wouldn't wake up. He could sleep through anything. He shifted in bed, swinging his arms to the other side and Sawyer started to smile. He'd inherited her night-time karate antics. Reaching out for him, Sawyer pushed her fingers through his hair, admiring his perfectly adorable cowlick, and then she placed a sweet kiss on his forehead. "Night, Bo."

Sawyer slowly walked away and turned off the small lamp by the door. Two neon colored nightlights, purple and green, left a colorful glow against the walls and Sawyer shut the door. Her and Ben's bedroom was just diagonally across the hall and she waked in to see her suitcase on the bed. Ben had brought it in, but she was in no-mood to unpack. Instead, she went straight for the dresser and found an old pair of sweats and a t-shirt to throw on.

As she brushed the airplane ride's tangles out of her hair, Sawyer heard footsteps coming down the hall. They were too small to be Ben's and had a distinct claw to hardwood sound. A golden snout appeared in the doorway and Sawyer smiled at the old retriever.

"Hey boy..." The blonde made her way to the dog and knelt down to rub on Trout's ears. "You kept them all out of trouble, huh?" As if nodding, Trout stuck his cold nose against Sawyer's arm. "Come on, let's go find Ben."

Looking for the re-run of the Brave's game that day, Ben stopped flipping through the channels when Sawyer and Trout come from the back of the house. "I didn't know what you wanted so I left a glass on counter." Ben looked to his beer and then to Sawyer.

"Honestly..." Sawyer shuffled to the couch and started to sit down. "I think I'm too tired for a drink." She scooted across the couch and leaned against her husband.

"That's a shame..." Ben put his beer down on the coffee table. "There was something in there for you."

"A B-12 shot in the ass?" Sawyer laughed and raised her brow. She looked at Ben confused. "Wait are you kidding?"

"Nope. Go see."

Suspicious of what she might find, Sawyer slowly got up. Ben was teasing her with his eyes and Sawyer didn't know what to expect. Everything looked normal in the kitchen. It was surprisingly clean, but there was one dish out of place. A pan was sitting on the middle of the stove. Inching closer, Sawyer smelled it first. The chocolatey, sugar coated aroma hit her nose like Ben's bar soap. She stood in front of the cake and tried to make out the words. Weldom Hom

Ben had walked up behind Sawyer and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Welcome Home. It's supposed to say "Welcome Home." He kissed the nape of her neck.

"Yeah..." Sawyer laughed and turned around. "I kinda figured."

"I guess we can count out both of our knuckleheads to win a spelling bee."

Grinning, Sawyer's eyebrow shot up. "I thought you wrote it."

"I passed second grade spelling, thank you very much."

Sawyer looked down to her cake with an impressed smile. "Actually for pre-schoolers that's pretty good."

"You should have seen them trying to decorate it. Bo had that super serious concentration face he makes...you know, when he sticks his tongue out and scrunches his face. Miller was just going with the flow. No plan, no faces, just pure fun."

"No tears?"

"Uh...there were tears. Bo said it was his idea then Miller said it was hers, and you know how that goes." Ben shrugged his shoulders. "I figured we could eat it tomorrow after we meet with the pre-school lady."

"You know I'm going to get really defensive about that."

"I know." The Coastie grinned. "You know I like it when you get all worked up over something." Ben kissed the other side of Sawyer's neck.

"What if I cuss her out?" Sawyer had closed her eyes when his lips were on her skin and she opened them back up to see him smiling.

"Mmm...throw a punch. That will really shut her up." He pulled her closer to him and kissed her jaw.

"Ben!" Sawyer laughed and shook her head. "I'd rather not get arrested."

"I'll bail you out." He laughed and hoovered his lips over hers.

"Promise?" This time Sawyer's lips buzzed against his.

"Promise." Ben's answer was brief because he kissed Sawyer, pinning her against his body and the stove.

Snaking her arms up his side and around his neck, the blonde had missed him more than she'd even realized while she'd been in Chicago. It was nice to be home. It was everything to be with Ben. Between kisses, Sawyer's breathy "I love you" was quiet but he'd heard it.

Lifting her onto the counter, Ben's fingertips traced a line of fire along the edge of her sweatpants. "I love you too." He kissed her again with a little more force this time.

"Ben..."

Sawyer didn't need to finish what she was going to say for him to understand. His strong arms lifted her off the counter and he felt her legs wrap around his waist. Halfway down the hallway, Ben moved away from kissing her and smirked. "I thought you were tired?"

"Shut up." Sawyer pressed her mouth against his, silencing any words that may still come.

Ben opened up their bedroom door and couldn't help but continue to tease. "I know your tired from your flight and all, so if..."

Sawyer slipped down off of him and held her hands up. It was all she needed to do. Sawyer didn't need any cute comebacks or quick retorts. She was standing in front of him with that tangled mess of hair, sweatpants and an old Diligence Dash t-shirts from three years ago, her hands were up, and it was his move next.

Ben stood frozen for a moment. His eyes roamed over her features and he knew what he had to do. They weren't joking anymore. He stepped next to his wife and slowly and methodically pushed her shirt over her head. Goosebumps littered Sawyer's stomach and there was a fire burning from within. Ben let Sawyer take off his shirt and they were standing, chest to chest, heart to heart.

In that millisecond before it started, Sawyer was reminded of their story, of their life, and how all those fans she'd met earlier in the day had gushed over Sawyer and Ben's love. It would never be on paper what it really was to them, because what they had was special. It would never be broken. Nothing could shake them from each other. You couldn't even try.

**OTHOTH**

Two weeks after Sawyer's Chicago trip and two weeks after the twins biting spree, the mother and her kiddos were quickly trying to get ready for Saturday t-ball in the park. Ben had worked the morning patrol on the Diligence and would meet up with his three in the middle innings, so right now Sawyer was trying to get the kids ready all by herself. She'd found the cleats, even retrieved the baseball gloves from outside, got the pants out of the dryer and located both hats, but where were their shirts? They were the brightest color red so they normally stood out against their regular clothes, but Sawyer didn't know where they were to save her life.

"Miller! Bo!" Running down the hall with their pants in her arms, Sawyer stuck her head in their room and tossed their white baseball bottoms on their beds. "Where are your shirts?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Bo shook his head. "I don't know."

"Uh...in the laundry?" Concentrating on trying to tie her cleat, Miller stuck her tongue out.

"Honey..." Sawyer hurried over to Miller and shook her head. "You can't put your shoes on _before_ you put your pants on."

"Why not?" Miller was one to always try something her way before doing it how it needed or should be.

"Don't start, Mills. We have to leave in..." Sawyer checked her watch. "Ten minutes!"

"Axe-shally. I think I know where they are." Bo shot up his hand and hurried over to the small table with crayons and markers. Underneath a pile of paper and coloring books were two red shirts. "Here they are!"

Bo held one of them up and Sawyer's face fell. "What did y'all do?" She moved away from trying to untie Miller's bazillion knots and grabbed the shirt from her son. Colorful pictures and misspelled words tattooed the jersey, front and back.

Miller bit her lip and held her shoulders high. "We...made them more pretty." She flashed her big blue eyes hoping her mother thought the same.

"I don't even have time to wash these! Guys..." Sawyer picked up the second jersey and saw it was just as bad as the first.

Miller stood up with her cleats on and reached for her pants. "Aunt Brooke draws on clothes."

"Yeah." Bo nodded along with his sister and started to put his pants on, his Ninja-Turtle tighty-whities, showing through the butt.

Here they go, tag teaming on their mom. "No. No. No. You are not allowed to do this! Aunt Brooke draws on clothes because that's her job. Now you're going to have to wear these like this." Sawyer grabbed a shirt and put it over Bo's head and did the same with the other on Miller. Sighing, Sawyer looked defeated. "Just...get your pants on. I'll help you tie your shoes, but we have got to go. We're gonna be late!"

Walking out of the room, Sawyer put her hand on her head. Days like this, she often wondered how she dealt with their sneaky little tricks and schemes. She was almost positive Miller and Bo did it on purpose.

"Mom I can't get my shoe on!" Bo ran to the living room holding his cleat.

Kneeling down, Sawyer, seemingly magically got Bo's foot into his shoe just as Miller ran out from their bedroom.

"I was ready first!" She pumped her fist in the air like she'd just won a medal.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Both of y'all hush. You were ready at the exact same time." Sawyer watched the twins eye the baseball hats on the kitchen table and knew they were about to sprint to grab them. "Don..."

She couldn't even get the word out before Miller and Bo darted off to grab their hats. When they did, Sawyer saw the back of their shirts and that Miller was wearing Bo's shirt and that he was wearing hers. Under her breath, the thirty-something rolled her eyes. "Shit." This couldn't get worse.

"That's mine!" Miller snatched the hat Bo had grabbed and he snatched it right back. Miller didn't like for her brother to take things so she swiped it out of his hands again.

"Hey!" Scrunching up his face, Bo hauled off and hit Miller on the shoulder. "Miller, give it back!"

Those big blue eyes of hers started to well and she screamed like a newborn baby taking its first breath. "He hit me!"

"Bo!" Sawyer walked over to the twins and shook her head. "You are NOT allowed to hit, and Miller, you can't take his things. If y'all can't act right, we might not even go to your game."

The two four-and-a-half year olds both looked at each other and in unison, they began to cry.

Somehow between all the other ruckus, Sawyer heard the phone ring and she dug around her purse to get it. Maybe it was Ben saying he got off early? Sawyer could use a little help. "Hello?"

"Is this Sawyer Trammell? Benjamin Trammell's wife?"

Sounding more like static from an old radio receiver, Sawyer didn't hear the man's voice and covered her ears? "Hello?"

"Is this Mrs. Trammell?" The man asked again.

"Yes." Sawyer didn't recognize the voice and looked at her two wailing children. "I'm sorry I'm having a heard time hearing you." She put her hand over the phone and looked directly at Miller and Bo. "Please stop. I can't hear anything."

"Is Benjamin Trammell at home?"

Benjamin? Who calls Ben, Benjamin? "Um, no he's at work right now. Can I take a message?" Confused and not sure who she was talking to, Sawyer checked the area code on the phone number. 931. Where was that?

"My name is Dr. Steven Wilkes at Methodist North Hospital in Memphis. Your father in-law, Russell Trammell has been brought in, and we need to speak with his next of kin."

Sawyer mouth went dry. Next of kin? That couldn't be good. Immediately, Sawyer started to prepare for the worst. Her mind was ready to take on such a task and her eyes began to well. Her chin quivered "Wha..." Sawyer's question couldn't even come out.

"He's been in a serious accident..."

Sawyer stumbled over to the couch and sat down as she heard the doctor describe was what wrong with Russ. All she could do was cry and pretty soon Miller and Bo caught on. Their tears had stopped and now they were watching their mom sob on the couch. This wasn't something that the kids had seen before, and Bo's face started turning to fear. Miller grabbed her twin brother's hand. She could feel it to. Something was wrong.

Something was terribly wrong.

**OTHOTH**

**Sadness. Ugh, I hate to leave it like that, but all will be found out next chapter. Stay tuned. Thanks so much for the continued support guys!**

**Review Please!**


	29. Country Darkness

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 29: Country Darkness**

**Disclaimer: I wish I could say Sawyer is my own character...but she's not. **

**Author's note: Alright, we're gonna find out what's wrong with Russ and the aftermath of it all. There will be multiple small sections within the chapter. Enjoy!**

**OTHOTH**

For most of her life, Sawyer loved getting in the car. She loved the wind through her hair; the buzz of the speakers next to her left calf; the method and rhythm of shifting gears- she loved it all. It was an escape. And she desperately needed an escape.

After she'd gotten off the phone with Dr. Wilkes, Sawyer had called Peyton to take the twins to their t-ball game. As much as she'd love to watch her kiddos run around that baseball diamond, Sawyer had to get to Ben. It wasn't something that could wait. He needed to know about his dad, and he needed to know now. Sawyer wanted to be the one to tell him. She needed to be the one to tell him.

The Coast Guard base wasn't far from home. Ben was supposed to be on the Diligence all morning, but an hour before his shift was up, he had been called in for paper work requests. He and his crew were supposed to go out for a three week patrol along the mid-Atlantic coast next month.

That wasn't going to happen. Not now.

Sawyer pulled up to the gate of the base and flashed Willie a somber smile.

"Why, hello Sawyer. How those babies treating you?" He hit the buttons on his controls to let the gate open.

Her dark sunglasses hid her red, swollen eyes, and Sawyer tried to sound happy, but she wasn't ready to talk. She couldn't. Instead, she just waved her hand and drove on through. She parked a few cars away from her husband's and took one big, deep breath.

The walk to the entrance was a long one because the concrete felt more like quick sand. She pushed through the front door and knew where he'd be. Normally you had to flash your badge or sign in, but Sawyer made eyes with the worker at the front desk and just kept on going. She was breaking the rules, but Sawyer had never really been a rule follower. There was one person she wanted to talk with and he was leaning back in a chair by the main control panel filling out paperwork watching boats light up the screen as their coordinates came in.

"Ben?" Sawyer found her voice, but just barely. His name came out in a quiet whisper unlike ever before.

He tapped his pen against his clipboard thinking of the best way to position his guys for the next patrol when he heard Sawyer say his name. Spinning around in the office chair, Ben smiled. "What are you doing here, OJ? I was just about to head out to the game." He waited for her response but when it didn't come, he put his clipboard down and stood up. "Hey...What's wrong? Is it the kids?" He recognized her sunken posture and her drawn-in body language. Her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, but he could tell she'd been crying.

There was a hitch in her breath and she was fumbling to find the words. She managed to shake her head and tried again, but it still wouldn't come.

Concerned, Ben stepped closer and rubbed his hands over her arms. "What is it?" Another few seconds passed by so he pulled her into his chest. "Whatever it is... It's gonna be fine." It wasn't like Sawyer to be like this. Something was obviously wrong.

His touch and genuine compassion made her heart drop. He didn't even know what she was gonna say, and he was already telling her it would be okay. Sawyer's eyes began to well, and she took a step back. "It's your dad, Ben."

"My dad?" The Coastie furrowed his brow.

"He was working and there...there was an accident." She wiped her eyes and shook her head, her broken voice barely recognizable. "It's bad."

Feeling his heart-rate spike, Ben swallowed a lump in his throat. "What hospital?" It wasn't the question he'd wanted to ask, but it came out anyway.

"North Methodist or Methodist North. I don't remember, but there's a flight to Nashville at four. You need to go."

Glancing at his watch, Ben knew he needed to leave now. He needed to leave fifteen minutes ago. His mind was racing but his feet couldn't move. How _bad_ was bad? Was his dad conscious? Was he in surgery? What was going on?

Sawyer could see the questions in Ben's eyes. She took a deep breath and told him what she knew. "He...he was working with somebody's horse and he got kicked..." Sawyer felt her cheeks redden with emotion and she tried to be strong. She pulled her hand up to her mouth and bit her lip, taking a deep breath before speaking. "He was kicked in the head."

_Kicked_ in the _head_? Ben's brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what Sawyer was saying. The _head_? His throat burned with confusion and he felt sick to his stomach. It was starting to hit him and he raised his hands to his head. His chest started to ache and he knew bad meant really, really bad. He bent over hoping he could breathe better. "So...so..." Ben tried to muster the courage to finish his question. "It's a brain injury?"

Sawyer could only nod as she reached for his hands.

"Ugh..." Ben let out a groan and his face started to turn red. This wasn't some accident that required stitches or bandages. This was not some easy fix.

It hurt Sawyer to see Ben so worried. He was such a good guy. Bad things weren't supposed to happen to good people. She opened her mouth to say something but Ben started walking away from her without saying anything. He didn't look back, he didn't speak to anyone. He got outside and started to sprint for his car. His feet slapped the concrete so hard he could feel it in his knees, his joints. This couldn't be happening. His dad was Russ Trammell. He was kind and compassionate. He was healthy and he wasn't old enough to die.

And that wasn't going to happen. Ben wouldn't let it.

**OTHOTH**

The drive from Nashville to Memphis was supposed to take three hours, but Ben's rental car was fast. Pushing past ninety miles per hour the whole way, Ben only stopped once to get gas and to throw up. The closer he got to home, the harder it got to keep going. He tried to call the hospital but he hung up every time he dialed the number. What news could they possibly have for him that he wanted to hear in the car.

With only his thoughts to keep him company, Ben kept his focus on the road.

When he started seeing signs for Memphis, he turned toward North Memphis off the interstate. The Coastie could feel the sweat start to pool on his head. The hospital was fifteen minutes away and that short drive was the longest fifteen minutes of his life.

The automatic doors opened up and that stale hospital smell hit Ben like a brick wall. He mustered his strength together and walked to the reception desk.

"I'm looking for a patient. My dad, Russell Trammell was brought in earlier this morning."

The young woman looked up from her seat as soon as she heard the name. She didn't need to search the computer, she'd already heard about what had happened. "He's in the CCU. Dr. Wilkes will have more information. Take two rights then get in the first elevator you come to. Go to the third floor."

"Thanks." Ben could see it in that girl's face. Something wasn't right.

The hospital was lonely and cold and he got lost twice trying to find the right wing. The simple directions seemed complicated and Ben's nerves started to pulsate with his every heart beat.

Before Ben found a nurse or a doctor, he saw an old friend of his father's pacing around. "Mr. Jenkins?"

Turning to the younger man, the farmer slid his hand through his sliver colored hair. "Ben?" The older gentleman was in jeans and stained, bloody shirt.

Ben couldn't help but wonder if that blood had been from his dad.

"It was an accident." The older man seemed to be in a state of shock. He looked blankly towards the wall and kept shaking his head.

"What happened?"

"He was going to see how May Bell was doing with her young. That's our new mare, and all of the sudden she starts bucking and stirring up trouble. Something spooked her. Your dad tried to calm her down but he got kicked clear in the head." Mr. Jenkins rubbed his brow and shook his head. "It was an accident, honest." The older man looked as though he were about to cry.

"Where is he? Where's my dad?"

Pointing down the hallway, the older man sighed as Ben started to walk away. "I'm mighty sorry son."

Ben slowly started walking and hoped his dad was dealing with a severe headache; maybe even a broken jaw. But it couldn't be anymore serious than that. Ben wasn't ready for it. Not at all.

A few doors down he saw _R. Trammell _written on a white board outside of a room, and Ben stopped before going in. Buried down in the the depths of his chest, the courage Ben needed to walk inside that room propelled his slow pace inside. A steady beep from a monitor mirrored Ben's slow steps closer. Somebody was in that hospital bed, but Ben couldn't tell who it was. The lifeless figure had a white contraption over his head that looked like a helmet meant for aestronauts. There were wires and tubes everywhere, and Ben's heart sank towards the floor.

"Dad?" Ben said his name wanting a response, but instead there were more beeps. As Ben inched closer, he felt his chest feel heavy. An accordion looking device was moving up and down feeding Russ oxygen. Ben's eyes watered and he clutched onto the bedside railing. "Dad..."

Russ's hands were by his side and his eyes were closed. The right side of his face was bruised and he was barely recognizable. Ben was afraid to touch him but he reached for his cold, callused hand.

"I'm sorry. We don't allow visitors at this hour." A voice from behind Ben came from a nurse who was checking things off on a chart.

"I'm..." Ben had to clear his throat. "I'm his son."

The woman's eyes changed and she nodded. "I'll go get Dr. Wilkes."

Ben knew if a nurse was making special considerations about visiting hours for him, whatever news Dr. Wilkes had was going to be the hardest thing he'd have to hear.

"Dad, come on..." Ben turned back to Russ pleading for him to wake up. "Wake up. Please. Wake up" He looked down to his father's hand that seemed so small and fragile next to his own. Ben could remember a time where those hands were strong but now they were limp. Russ wasn't Russ anymore. Ben heard the doctor come in behind him so he took a deep breath.

"Mr. Trammell?" Dr. Wilkes extended his hand and introduced himself.

"Ben." Ben shook the doctor's hand and glanced back to his dad. "What...How is he?"

Dr. Wilkes looked down to his notes and then shook his head. "His head injury is serious. The kick broke his cheekbone in six places and his brain hemorrhaged between the frontal and temporal lobe. The trauma has prevented the necessary communication between his brain and his lungs. Right now he's on a respirator and the machines are breathing for him."

"They're keeping him alive."

Before answering, Dr. Wilkes swallowed hard. "Yes. We did a brain scan and there hasn't been a response."

"How long?" All this information was coming at once, and Ben was suddenly overwhelmed with the severity of it all.

"It can depend. People have recovered from accidents like this. The bleeding and the swelling may go down with time and he could wake up with minor brain damage. But, just as well, he may never respond to our tests." Dr. Wilkes lifted his shoulders. "You'll want to consult with his lawyer to see if he had a plan in place for something like this. If he does, we can manage his case and medication according to his requests. If he doesn't. It will be up to you."

Ben felt his heart fall. _Up to him?_ Dr. Wilkes was talking about life and death. He was talking about taking away his father forever. Ben couldn't make a decision like that.

Dr. Wilkes could see Ben's mind start to race. "We are going to keep monitoring his status and you'll be the first to know if anything changes."

**OTHOTH**

Forty-eight hours after Ben had gotten to Tennessee, Sawyer had finally made it. Under normal circumstances, Memphis was somewhere she loved to visit. She loved the town and the people, but most of all she loved getting to see Russ. That sweet, old soul was always for the wiser, but Sawyer already sensed this trip was going to be different. This cab's headlights bounced down the dirt driveway and Sawyer could see Russ's old truck parked by the porch. The old Ford didn't have that shine it normally did. Against the dark, night sky, the yellow farmhouse was aglow, however. Ben must have turned every light on and left them like that.

Pulling out some cash, Sawyer could see her hand trembling as she passed the cabbie the money. Her nerves were shot and so was her heart. She didn't wait on the driver to get her suitcase. Instead, she drug it out of the trunk herself and then slowly studied Ben's childhood home. She knew what she was about to walk into. Ben had been by the lawyer's that afternoon.

Lighting bugs floated by her face and Sawyer swatted them away as she walked to the kitchen door. Russ was known for his tidiness, but the house Sawyer walked into was anything but clean. Ben had only been in town two days, but the house was an absolute wreck. Glasses lined the kitchen counter and the table had stacks of papers dripping onto the floor. Past the kitchen, Sawyer could see the living room was a mess, too. Ben had obviously been sleeping on the couch because the pillows were casually misplaced. There was a blanket thrown over the chair's ottoman, two boxes of cereal were tumpted over on the coffee table, and there was an opened can of baked beans sitting on one of the coasters. It was a mess, an absolute mess.

Moving into the living room, Sawyer felt compelled to clean up. She grabbed the cereal boxes and then reached down to pick up the blanket. What was hidden underneath made her heart skip a beat. Ben's old guitar was in pieces on the floor. The body had been smashed in and the neck was hanging on by a few strings. "Ben..." Disappointed, Sawyer said his name under her breath as she tried to pick up his mangled instrument.

The cracks from the old hardwood, made her look to the stairs. He must have been up there. "Ben?" This time she called his name with purpose.

Sawyer walked into the kitchen and looked at the cluttered counters as she put the cereal boxes away. She moved some of the dishes to the sink, washed her hands, and then walked over to table. Stray pieces of paper had made their way to the floor and she started picking them up, too. The letterhead on top of each made Sawyer slowly stand up straight as she began read the fine print: _Harris Shelton Hanover Wash PLLC. _Sawyer's eyes traveled down the page._ Last Will and Testament of Russell Joseph Trammell. Article I... _Sawyer felt her throat constrict as she read out her father in-law's basic information._ Article II. I appoint my son, Benjamin Joseph Trammell as my Personal Representative to administer this will. Should he not oblige, my brother John Hemmet Tramell Jr. of Franklin, Tennessee should administer this will. Article III. Should anything happen to me where I can no longer communicate for myself, I ask that three days be given for any medical intervention. Should three days pass and I am still unresponsive, do not resuscitate._

Sawyer felt her eyes begin to water. They were almost on day three. Looking at the kitchen clock, there were only ten hours until that deadline.

_Article IV. I devise and bequeath my home and my land, 185 acres at 1716 Hawkins Mill Place to my son Benjamin Trammell. Should he decide to sell, I ask that it the money be split three ways. My son will receive forty percent of sold profit to do with what he pleases. My grandchildren, Miller Elisabeth Trammell and Robert Benjamin Trammell shall each receive thirty percent to be entrusted for college or other expenses until the age of eighteen._

That tightness in Sawyer's chest was becoming too painful, and she couldn't read anymore. She dropped the paper down on the table and walked back through the house, tightening her arms around her chest. It was all too much. "Ben?" She stopped by the foot of the stairs and looked up. "Ben?"

A noise outside made Sawyer turn towards the back porch. Sawyer approached the door and pressed her nose against the screen. The sweet, Southern air brushed over her face as an easy breeze passed throughout the porch. She could hear her husband outside grunting and the sound of something rustling through the leaves of nearby trees. Sawyer stepped out onto the porch and noticed the near-empty bottle of Jack Daniels by the side of a rocking chair. Ben probably nursed his emotions with the Tenneesee whiskey as he'd read his father's will.

Sawyer walked down the steps and through the soft grass behind the farmhouse, not sure what shape husband was going to be in. An emotionally charged, drunk Ben was not the man she wanted to be around, but Sawyer knew he needed her. She needed him.

The outside lights only went so far- twenty-yards or so, and when she got to the tree-line, Sawyer had to peer into the darkness. She could hear his groans and saw his shadowy figure by the tallest tree on the right. Something was in his hand, but Sawyer didn't know it was a baseball bat until she got closer.

Tossing up a pecan shell, Ben swung for the fences and let out a deep breath when he heard the nut crack against the wooden bat. He sensed Sawyer's presence but grabbed another pecan shell.

"Ben." Sawyer's tone was soft and worried.

Swinging so hard he thought his shoulders may have come out of socket, Ben ignored his wife. "Ugh...!" He closed his eyes and let the sound of the nut sailing through the trees calm his nerves.

"Ben." Sawyer stepped closer and furrowed her brow. Didn't he hear her? Didn't he need her? Didn't he want her there?

Grabbing another pecan, Ben swung and missed. "Dammit." He tried again, but his momentum and anger, his denial and his sadness got the best of him. Spinning on his heels as he whiffed again, Ben lost his balance and fell onto the ground. His cheek was against the cool, soft grass and Ben started to sit up. He still had the bat in his left hand and he threw it hard against the ground. He rested his arms against his knees and looked out into the darkness. "I..." He shook his head and swallowed hard. "I can't do this, Sawyer."

Feeling her heart break, Sawyer knelt down next to him. She opened her mouth to say something, to comfort him, but he said something first.

"He's gonna die in nine hours..." Ben squinted at his watch trying to tell time in the dark. "...nine hours and _thirty_ minutes."

"You don't know that." Sawyer had to be strong.

Ben turned to her and locked his eyes with Sawyer. Yes they did. They knew all to well that Russ was going to die. It was just a matter of time.

Looking into the eyes of the woman he loved, tears started to roll down Ben's cheek. Sawyer hated to see a grown man cry and she put her arms around Ben, burying her own tears into his shoulder. They were going to make it through this, even if Russ wasn't.

**OTHOTH**

Sawyer made her way through the full house and tried to smile through the pain. This was going to be much harder than she imagined, and Sawyer could feel it deep within her chest. Around every corner and scattered throughout the house, death had left a heaviness in the air; a heaviness that carried the weight of the world, or at least the weight of Memphis, Tennessee. The whole town seemed to be in the old farmhouse with their handkerchiefs, teary eyes, and short stories- paying their respects in memory of a man taken too soon. But no matter the support they brought and no matter how many smiles or visitors graced the old farm house, Russ wasn't coming back.

As difficult as it was for Sawyer, it was worse for Ben. He and his father had been a duo for so long that he wasn't sure how to cope with his dad's tragic death. Ben couldn't face everyone who came to shake his hand and remind him why he'd come home- not all at once. After twenty minutes of being inside amongst the other mourners, Ben had to take a breather. He walked outside and hoped nobody would follow. Ben needed to be alone for a minute. He needed to catch his breath and clear his head.

It was too much.

Inside drifting from room to room, Sawyer moved away from a stranger's hug and spotted an empty platter set out in the dining room. Seizing the opportunity to take a break of her own, the thirty-seven year old found her way into the kitchen. She stopped shy of the sink remembering how many times she'd seen Russ in that old apron of his with a washcloth thrown over his shoulder cooking up a storm in that very spot, hand drying the dishes after every meal, and the way he leaned against the counter telling stories from Ben's childhood.

The kitchen just didn't feel the same anymore. The paint seemed dull, the sunlight wasn't as bright through the windows, and there was no hum of classic rock or country music coming through the speakers. Now it was empty. Now it was bleak. The entire house felt Russ's death, not just the people.

Sawyer ran the platter under the warm water and tried to think of happier times. She couldn't dwell on the sadness. She needed to be strong for herself, the twins, and mostly Ben. He needed her support now more than ever.

"How you holding up?"

Startled, the mother of two nearly lost her grip on the platter she was holding. Quickly turning, Sawyer felt her brow furrow when she saw her dad's eyes. She didn't speak but lifted her shoulders instead. How was she holding up? She wasn't really holding much of anything, she was barely making it through.

Lucas felt his heart burn for his daughter as the the memory of losing his uncle Keith played over in his mind. He knew how much Russ meant to Ben and he knew how much Russ meant to Sawyer. Walking over to her, Lucas watched Sawyer drop the platter in the sink and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the side of her head. They didn't have to speak. A comforting embrace was more than words right now.

"Dad..." Sawyer's word came out in a hurried breath and a tear fell down her cheek. That ache in the center of her chest started to pound with an unwavering condition.

"I know." Lucas closed his eyes and held her tighter. He dug his cheek into the side of her head and breathed in deeply.

Lucas and Peyton had gotten to Tennessee yesterday with Miller and Bo, but Sawyer hadn't really seen them much. The last thirty six hours had been a blur of estate and insurance meetings that Sawyer had tuned out. She couldn't remember a single word Mr. Kimberling, if that was even the estate man's name, had told them a couple days ago. Everything had gone in one ear and out the other. All she knew for certain was that she'd been sitting next to her husband holding his hand while strangers told them the best ways to liquidate Russ's assets, how property should be sold, and how the funeral was to be arranged.

Only a half hour into the visitation and already clinging onto her dad, Sawyer watched Ben through the kitchen window. She knew his heart was broken and it killed her to see the pain he was facing. He was leaning against one of the old pecan trees and rubbing a shell between his fingers. She could only imagine the things going through his mind. Would they sell the house? Would they sublet the land? The anxiety was painted on Ben's furrowed brow. Then two little toe-headed children ran up to him with happy smiles. Miller and Bo didn't quite understand the enormity of death just yet, but Sawyer could see that they were making Ben smile; making him forget about the money questions and property lines. He bent down to see what the pre-schoolers were showing him, and Sawyer felt a little less broken. Ben looked happy, too. At least for now.

That was all that mattered.

Sighing, Sawyer moved away from Lucas. "Thanks for that."

Lucas politely nodded and left Sawyer to herself. He could tell she needed another minute or so of solidarity.

When her father left, the blonde moved towards the refrigerator where little images of her life with Ben had been put on display with tiny magnets. Sawyer's eyes roamed the photos and she felt her mood begin to lighten. An old postcard postmarked with a Florida return address was starting to yellow, but Sawyer traced her handwriting with a smile. Instead of a typical honeymoon visiting a vineyard with wine tasting, Ben had had other plans four years ago when they got married. Just as Sawyer looked to the next picture of Miller and Bo from their pre-school Christmas assembly, she heard the kitchen door crack open. Turning, Sawyer looked to the door and at the woman who seemed hesitant to come in.

The stranger was in black like the others, but when she looked up to Sawyer, there was a familiarity in her eyes. They were a warm blue Sawyer had seen before.

Greeting the woman with a somber smile as though she were just another neighbor showing their kindness, Sawyer looked back to the picture of Miller and Bo. Then without warning Sawyer's stomach fell to her toes. Those eyes. Those warm blue eyes. Miller had those same eyes.

_Ben_ had those eyes.

With her mouth open, Sawyer turned back to face the stranger but she was gone.

Hurrying out the door and down the steps, the woman had quickly shuffled away to a car.

Compelled by her curiosity, Sawyer followed the sixty-something with gray-blonde hair outside until they were stopped next to a Lexus sedan.

"I shouldn't have come." Looking down for her keys, the older woman started to mumble to herself, pushing a silver strand of hair away from her face.

Sawyer recognized the cheekbones and her chin. Other signs of Ben were visible too. Their posture was similar and even the direction they parted their hair. Sawyer didn't need to keep making the connections to figure out who the mystery woman was. She was Allie Trammell...or Allie whatever her last name was. She was Ben's mom.

Feeling eyes on her, the woman gave up looking for her keys and glanced to Sawyer with a devastated sigh. She swallowed hard and looked to the man no more than fifty yards away from her playing with two small children by the tree line. He was a father now. Her son was a father. Fighting back tears, Allie knew she'd made a horrible decision in coming back. Ben wouldn't want to see her. The younger blonde who'd followed her out to the car didn't particularly look thrilled to see her either.

Her eyes went back to Sawyer. "You're Ben's wife, aren't you?" Allie saw the ring Sawyer wore and could only assume as much.

Sawyer had always thought about this moment. Ever since Ben had told her the story of his mother walking out on him, Sawyer had conjured up some choice words for the particular human being. But they didn't come out. Not at first. "What are you doing here?"

"I...I read it in the paper." Her voice cracked but the slow southern accent came out like a sad country melody. "I knew he'd be here, and I wanted to make sure..."

"He was okay?" Sawyer's voice wasn't as elegant as she cut Ben's mom off. "You had twenty-five years to make sure he was okay." Her eyes darted straight to the large wedding ring on the older woman's hand. How dare she come see if Ben was okay? That was not her place. Not anymore.

"I know what you must think." Allie stuttered, the emotion in her voice becoming more pronounced. "I never meant to hurt him. Either of them. I loved Russ. I did." The pounding in her chest and the pain running through her heart reminded her that she still loved him. When she'd stumbled upon his name in the obituaries, Allie had almost fainted. Not Russ Trammell. He couldn't be dead. Not the man who lived by the Golden Rule and was as healthy as a horse. She couldn't believe it. It didn't feel real. Her eyes wandered back over to Ben and she felt a sharp pain of regret run through her system. "I was young. It was a mistake." Allie took a deep breath and looked for sympathy. "You must know what that's like."

Sawyer did. She knew all too well how one mistake could change everything. She, however, had made a choice to try and correct the wrong she'd done in the past. "How...how could you leave him? Both of them. Ben was just a kid."

"I'm not proud of what I did. I have to live with it everyday." Allie felt her eyes water again. She blinked her tears away, her age and the lines on her face started to show. "I knew Russ would take care of him, though. That's all I ever wanted. " Her gaze went to the house she'd once shared with Ben's father. Things had been so different back then. She wasn't as miserable as she'd thought she was all those years ago and Russ had deserved better. "I wish I had apologized to him. To both of them. I'm sorry for that."

Sawyer looked over her shoulder to her husband and children. If she'd been younger, she would have liked to kick the lady in the mouth for the pain she'd caused Ben. But Sawyer wasn't as young as she used to be. There were a million things she'd love to say to this woman, but none of them came out.

Allie knew she better leave so she turned to walk away. Glancing back one more time, she tried to show a small amount of kindness and nodded. "Thank you for giving Ben what I couldn't give Russ. I can tell you love him." She glanced back to where her son was and softly smiled. "He looks like the kind of father Russ was."

Sawyer studied the woman for a moment and then she turned to Ben and nodded. He was so much like his dad. Diligent and caring, kind and gentle. Ben always did first and asked later. Russ had done the same.

For a moment the two women looked off into the distance. Ben was tying the little girl's shoe while the boy was using a stick like a sword.

"Miller and Bo. " Their names came out of Sawyer's mouth before she even knew what she was saying. For whatever reason, Sawyer felt for the older woman in front of her. Those were her grandchildren, too. "They'll be five in October. Russ named our little girl. He'd said if he'd ever had a girl that's what her name would have been. I fell in love with the name as soon as he'd said it." Sawyer could see Allie take a sharp breath in. Maybe that had sounded familiar. "And Ben named our son, Bo. It's really Robert but Bo for short."

"They're beautiful." Allie didn't know how much regret she could handle and turned away to look down the dusty driveway. She turned back to Sawyer, "Thank you for telling me."

Sawyer shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "He never stopped loving you, you know. Russ, I mean." Pausing for a moment, Sawyer studied the older woman in front of her.

Allie nodded her head. She could feel the truth in Sawyer's words cutting through her like a knife. She nodded and then slipped inside of her car.

Sawyer watched the sedan pull down the driveway and she felt a sense of relief wash over her. There was something incredibly fulfilling about talking with Ben's mom- even if only for a few minutes. While Sawyer watched the dust settle along the driveway, a small handed tugged on her own.

"Mama, watch. I climbed the tree."

Smiling at the blue-eyed little boy, Sawyer started to follow her son. "You did?"

"Watch..." Bo ran off towards his sister, holding his arms up in the air.

Ben scooped Bo up and lifted him on a nearby branch as Sawyer walked up to them. Memphis would always hold a special place in her heart- in all of their hearts. The sweet smiles on her children's faces were truth enough to remind her that even in death, a light- a lingering happiness from a young soul, was really what it was all about. It wasn't the land or the sprawling pecan tree that brought that joy, it had been Russ. His death would be one of those hurdles Sawyer and Ben would tackle together, but they'd grow stronger because of it. In life, tragedy often brought people together and it would be the same for the Trammell family. It always would be.

**OTHOTH**

**Ugh...I really did hate that I had to kill Russ off, but that had...unfortunately...been planned since the beginning. I'd always said we'd get to see Ben's mom in some capacity and for those of you who remembered or were looking forward to that moment, I hope you liked it. It wasn't the knock-down, drag-out fight I first envisioned Sawyer would have with the woman, but I liked the way it played out nonetheless. The story's almost over...Boo. Stay tuned for the final chapter!**

**Review please!**


	30. All Grown Up

**Little Moments: It Runs in the Family**

**Chapter 30: All Grown Up**

**Disclaimer: Elvis Costello gets the credit for all of the chapter titles and Mark Schwann gets credit for creating Sawyer and the other OTH characters. I've had a blast being inspired by their creative masterpieces.**

**A/N: Well, I guess I never thought that the end would come, and I'm not just talking about Sawyer's story. I'm talking about the end of the Little Moments franchise as a whole. It's been a little over four and a half years in the making and it's hard to see it all go. Four stories written over the span of four plus years, and it's truly the end of an era. I have to take a deep breath and a moment to reflect. It's been an incredible journey. I've had a wonderful experience with Little Moments...with all of the stories. Sawyer's story has always competed for my attention even before I decided to sit down and write it out. Something about her whit and her sly charm, her uncanny ability to put people in their place and her foot in her mouth was intriguing to me. She's human. She's got faults. She's relatable. At least, I think she is. But no matter what I think, all the props and praise go to you guys, for without you, there would be no story. It's seems overdone to thank my readers and reviewers, but it's the absolute truth. You'll never know how much your feedback has meant. So Thank you. Thanks times infinity. Seeing as this is the final chapter, thank you one last time.**

**Enjoy,**

**-ReeseHolden**

**OTHOTH**

It was early still. The morning sun shone brightly through the windows, but it wasn't quite warm yet. Southern mornings had a tendency to be surprisingly cool, especially after a hard rain. It was humid out. Night rains had dampened everything around the old house, but the outside air smelled sweetly of honeysuckle and pecans.

In so many ways the farmhouse had changed over the last thirty some years, but then again, it remained the same. The scuffed up hardwoods had aged with grace and traced pathways most taken. The kitchen had been updated, but the same radio that played Johnny Cash and the Allman Brothers years ago still worked and left a soft buzz of classic rock and country playing through the house each and every night. The screen door leading out to the back porch had been replaced a handful of times, but it led to everyone's favorite part of the house. The rocking chairs had been painted and a new porch swing had been hung up. Old, tin buckets were lined up by the steps going down into the yard. The two names that had been painted on rusty sides had worn away, though. You could only make out a few letters of Miller and Bo's names. And if you looked close enough, you'd be sure to see scattered sunflower seed shells aimlessly abandoned.

Making her way across the porch, a woman eyed the swing and hoped the rain hadn't dampened the cushions. Close enough to see they were dry, the blonde sat down slowly, careful not to spill her coffee as she clutched a novel she'd swiped from the library. After a quick sip and adjusting her tangled morning hair, the blonde opened the book and smiled at the dedication. It was all so familiar.

_For Sawyer_

For what seemed like the hundredth time, the eager Trammell began reading a story of love, regret, and forgiveness - the insanely frustrating, fairytale romance that was Sawyer Scott and Ben Trammell. She was reading about her parents. Miller could have picked any book from the library, but she always picked that one. The pages were worn thin, and some were even loose from their binding, but Miller loved it. She loved the cruel honesty, the flaws and faults, and the humanity of an imperfect love story. The hurt was genuine and it was true. And there was something to be said about knowing the real people- about having them as her parents.

The thirty year old's own marriage hadn't worked out like she'd hoped. Fresh off a divorce, the novel offered hope. It was a story of encouragement per say. Cocky and very much like her mother, Miller had assumed she deserved the same happy ending her parents had gotten. But for now, she'd find that gratitude and satisfaction among the pages of a well written book.

"Not that one again."

Miller thought she was the only one up so his voice was loud and startled her. "Jesus, Bo." The thirty year old jerked, spilling her coffee when her brother interrupted her reading. "Look what you made me do!"

"Don't go blaming me for your life problems, Mills." Bo sat down and watched his sister use her shirt to wipe up the mess.

If looks could kill, Bo would have died a very slow, painful death. Miller flashed him a glare so unyielding and hateful it was surprising he didn't catch on fire right then and there. "Can you not start, please?" Easily agitated, Miller was particularly annoyed with her brother and lately...the entire world really. Ever since her divorced had been finalized three months ago, Miller had been less than thrilled with herself and jealous of what her twin had. In comparison to her life, Bo had it together. He had the wife and a baby, a job he loved, and a job he was good at. Miller on the other hand was a divorcee, without a job, and without a true calling.

"You're gonna land on your feet, Miller. You just gotta be aware. You never know what might fall on your plate or who might cross your path."

"Easy for you to say." Her brow furrowed and she set her coffee down.

Bo knew better than to start an argument so he tried to change the topic. "I've always told you, you shoulda stayed home. Tree Hill is where you need to be." Turns out he didn't really change the subject all that well, and Miller rolled her eyes.

After their father had retired from the Coast Guard and Red Bedroom Records was in the hands of Keith's oldest, Sawyer and Ben had moved to Memphis to ride out their retirement on acreage and southern hospitality.

"Bo please..." Miller took a deep breath. Her free spirited self-desire to rebel against the norm had backfired. She'd fled North Carolina after high school, chasing a dream that was never fully recognized. And without a clear path, her current life journey was somewhere between stalled out and slow going. She, quite simply, didn't know what she wanted. "...for once, will you just..." Miller stopped before she got too heated because a set of blue eyes were pressing against the screen door. "What are you doing up, bud?"

Bo turned his head to see his four year old nephew peeking outside. "Hey, champ."

"Wanna play?" The little boy with sandy blonde hair smiled. He immediately picked up a baseball and grabbed the gloves they'd left on the porch from yesterday.

Grinning, Bo got up. "Absolutely. Beats talking to that boring lady over there." Bo pointed at Miller and laughed. "And you know your cousin is way too little to play with me, so you're my kid fix." Bo tussled his hand through the boy's hair and smirked at his sister.

Mouthing thank you to her brother, Miller watched Bo and her son walk down into the yard. It still amazed her how much energy her little guy had. That four year old was an energizer bunny. A four year old, three foot tall, energizer bunny. Adorable, smart, and a better kid than Miller deserved, her son was her saving grace.

Caught up in watching the boys play catch, Miller let her coffee get cold so she went inside for a refill. On her way back out, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and knew she'd have company on the porch soon.

With her own cup of coffee in hand, Sawyer emerged from inside and took a seat next to her daughter. Her bouncy, tangled hair was a mix between gray and blonde these days. Reminiscent of Blythe Danner in her later years, Sawyer was now the perfect blend of sweet and sass. She still loved music, but adulthood mellowed her priorities out a little. Elvis Costello was no longer her favorite voice. Instead, it was that of her lovable grandchildren. There was nothing like it. "Morning."

"Morning." Miller's sigh sounded soft and tired. She smiled as her mother sat down and turned her attention to the boys in the yard. "Kiddo, come up here. I've got something for you." Miller had grabbed a little something for her son when she'd gone back in the house. Tearing the flashy, silver wrapper off the morning pastry, the younger Trammell held out a blueberry Pop-Tart. "Here bud..."

The little boy's eyes got big as he came up the tearing up the stairs. Food! He hurried over and smiled at his grandmother who'd just come outside. "Uncle Bo and me are playing." He got closer to Sawyer and held his hand up to his mouth to whisper. "Don't tell him, but I'm way better at baseball than he is." He sunk his teeth into his breakfast and darted off the porch.

"Russ is too cute, Mills. Too cute." Sawyer watched the little boy bounce back to the yard. His positive presence and constant smile were just adorable.

Knowing full well, Russ may have been the one good thing that came from her marriage, Miller nodded. "Here..." breaking the remaining Pop-Tart in two, the younger blonde held out one of the pieces. "Want it?"

Laughing, Sawyer took the half of her favorite morning meal and leaned her shoulder into Miller's, "Thanks, kid." Biting into the blueberry Pop-Tart, Sawyer laughed. "I forgot how much I liked these."

Biting in to her own half, Miller grinned. "Dad used to tell us you ate them for every meal."

"At some point in my life, I probably did." Shrugging, Sawyer had no shame. She took a sip of her coffee and couldn't help but notice the book in her daughter's lap. Her face fell a little and Sawyer got serious. "I'm sorry things didn't work out wi..."

Shaking her head and cutting off her mother, Miller shrugged her shoulders. "I just need to know there are good parts to love." Miller looked at the cover of the book and the lack of complexity of it. It was just a glass of orange juice with a red and white straw.

"Miller..." Sawyer took a deep breath. "Look over there." The sixty-something year old pointed at her grandson. "He is the good part of love." Turning from the yard to her daughter, Sawyer raised her brow. "You and your brother were the best things that have come from your dad and me. Trust me." Sawyer reached over for Miller's hand and nodded. "It's gonna get easier."

Closing her eyes, the thirty-one year old nodded. "I know." She didn't want to admit how scared she was to start over, but she knew she'd have to at some point.

Back with her naturally sarcastic flare, Sawyer smirked. "Might I suggest you go back home and find yourself your own Coastie." Sawyer arched her brow higher than she had in a while. "The one I found was halfway decent."

Miller couldn't help but think of her gregarious father, and it made her grin. She also knew it wasn't that easy but appreciated her mother's encouragement nonetheless.

"Mama, look."

Both Miller and Sawyer turned to watch Bo pitch a ball towards his nephew while the little boy tried to swing for the fences. Russ swung with a mighty try but missed completely.

"My bad, champ. That was way too high." Bo got the ball back and held it up. "Here..."

Sawyer nudged her daughter. "Go play. He'll love it."

Miller agreed and set her coffee down. She placed the book in her seat and started for the steps with a smile. "Better come with the heat, Bo. I'd hate to embarrass you."

As the morning game of baseball ensued in the yard, in the distance, the rattling of an old transmission made Sawyer smile. He'd gone to the store to get more milk and sugar. She'd used the last of it in her coffee.

It only took a few minutes for him to put away the groceries. It wasn't long before her husband walked outside. The screen door opened and Sawyer smiled at the gray-headed man. No matter how much time had passed he would still always be that handsome Coastie she met the day of the Diligence Dash. His build and grin were the same. His blue eyes still held her gaze, and his goofy, playful attitude got her every time.

"I got some more milk and sugar."

Sawyer knew and nodded. He didn't have to tell her to know where he'd gone. "Thank you. I could have gone instead." Technically speaking, it was his day, they were celebrating him, but Ben had left before she even got up.

Ben sat down on the swing and moved the book Miller left. "It's fine."

Resting her chin by his shoulder, Sawyer was hit with a waft of his bar soap. They both watched their children and grandson play baseball, and Sawyer leaned into his side. "Happy Father's Day."

Turning to his wife of thirty-something years, Ben kissed her square on the the left eyebrow. "Thanks, OJ."

Sawyer felt those butterflies with his words. "Did you ever imagine this?"

Ben leaned back in the swing and took a deep breath. "This? Us?" He nodded and rested his hand on her leg. "When I brought you to meet my dad for the first time, I had a feeling we'd end up like this."

Grinning with a hint of remorse, Sawyer winced. "I made it difficult for you, though, huh?"

Ben picked up the book, their book- the story of all their triumphs and fails. He looked into those eyes of hers and shook his head. "You didn't make it difficult. You made it worth it." Ben kissed her softly and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "It was all worth it."

Call it luck; Sawyer and Ben. Call it love. Call it destiny. Call it whatever you wanted. Everything they'd been through together the last forty years had brought them closer than any other couple anyone knew. Lucas Scott had called it _Orange Juice in the Morning,_ and the utter simplicity of something so natural felt right for Sawyer Scott and Ben Trammell. It always had and always would.

**The End**


End file.
